February 3, 2017 •
NYCU Video Digest – February 3, 2017
See what’s happening in government relations this week in our News You Can Use Video Digest. Enjoy!
See what’s happening in government relations this week in our News You Can Use Video Digest. Enjoy!
February 3, 2017 •
News You Can Use Digest – February 3, 2017
National: Fatigued by the News? Experts Suggest How to Adjust Your Media Diet New York Times – Christopher Mele | Published: 2/1/2017 Some say it feels as if we are living inside a blizzard of news, with information constantly bombarding us. […]
National:
Fatigued by the News? Experts Suggest How to Adjust Your Media Diet
New York Times – Christopher Mele | Published: 2/1/2017
Some say it feels as if we are living inside a blizzard of news, with information constantly bombarding us. The result is a fatigue about the headlines – lately about politics – that has prompted some people to withdraw from the news, or curb their consumption of it. Experts said they had not seen data to conclude that consumers had changed their habits to protect their mental health, but added that the news ecosystem had changed drastically over the past five years, accelerating the sense of information overload. “Journalists … should be more involved in managing the insane flow of information and misinformation; it would be better if we had an approach that said, ‘Calm down,'” said media professor Dan Gillmor.
Federal:
Resistance from Within: Federal workers push back against Trump
Washington Post – Juliet Eilperin, Lisa Rein, and Marc Fisher | Published: 1/31/2017
The signs of popular dissent from President Trump’s opening volley of actions have been plain to see on the nation’s streets, at airports in the aftermath of his refugee and visa ban, and in the outrage on social media. But there is another level of resistance to the new president that is less visible and potentially more troublesome to the administration: a growing wave of opposition from the federal workers charged with implementing any new president’s agenda. Federal workers are in regular consultation with recently departed Obama-era political appointees about what they can do to push back against the new president’s initiatives. Some federal employees have set up social media accounts to anonymously leak word of changes that Trump appointees are trying to make. And a few government workers are pushing back more openly.
Trump Ethics Rules Curtail Lobbyists, While Also Loosening Some Obama Restrictions
Washington Post – Matea Gold | Published: 1/28/2017
President Trump signed an executive order that strengthens certain restrictions on lobbying that had been adopted under President Obama, while weakening others. Executive branch employees, including those in the White House, will now be barred for five years after they leave government from lobbying the federal agency where they worked. Under Obama, they had to wait until the end of the administration, meaning a shorter ban for some departing officials. Former executive branch officials will now also be permanently banned from serving as foreign lobbyists.
Trump’s Campaign Paid His Businesses Millions Over Course of Campaign
Politico – Kenneth Vogel | Published: 2/1/2017
President Trump’s campaign spent a total of $12.7 million at businesses run by him and his family members over the course of the 2016 presidential election. The largest sums went to Trump’s airline, TAG Air, which received $8.7 million as Trump used his own jet to fly around the country. Another $2 million went to Trump Tower, the skyscraper that housed his campaign headquarters. The spending at Trump properties, which continued after he won the election, underscores how much he was willing to mingle his political and business operations, from buying meals at his own Trump Grill to renting space at his own golf clubs.
White House Says LGBT Protections for Federal Workers Will Remain
Washington Post – Juliet Eilperin and Sandhya Somashekhar | Published: 1/30/2017
An executive order protecting federal employees from anti-LGBTQ discrimination that was first signed in 2014 by President Barack Obama will continue under President Donald Trump, the White House said. Obama’s order expanded protections in federal hiring, which already barred discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, to also include gender identity. And it required all companies doing business with the federal government to have explicit policies barring discrimination against gay and transgender workers. It applies to 24,000 companies that collectively employed about 28 million workers, representing about a fifth of the U.S. workforce.
From the States and Municipalities:
Alaska – Is It Time for a Lobbyist Union? Juneau Representative Proposes 2.5 Percent Industry Tax
Alaska Dispatch News – Nathaniel Herz | Published: 1/31/2017
Alaska Rep. Sam Kito introduced an income tax bill recently, but only for lobbyists. House Bill 91 would levy a two-and-one-half percent income tax on the annual earnings of legislative lobbyists. The measure would replace the state’s current $250 registration fee. Kito said the money raised from the tax will support the Alaska Public Offices Commission, which oversees the activity of candidates and lobbyists. He said the Legislature’s Division of Legal Services has not raised any concerns about directing the income tax at a specific group of Alaskans. The bill also calls for a $100 registration fee from anyone running for political office.
Arizona – How The Wrong Letterhead Exposed Phoenix’s Toothless Lobbying Rules
Arizona Republic – Rob O’Dell and Dustin Gardner | Published: 1/31/2017
A Phoenix law firm did not properly register as a lobbyist with the city for two years, and recently filed falsely dated documents that made it appear the firm had followed the law, according to City Attorney Brad Holm. Even though Holm determined Burch & Cracchiolo was not properly registered, he said the city cannot not take action against anyone who violates the lobbyist registration ordinance. Holm said that is because much of the lobbyist ordinance lacks an “enforcement mechanism,” a conclusion reached by the city’s law department recently.
California – Spending on Lobbying in California Tops $309 Million, the Second-Highest Amount Ever Recorded in the State
Los Angeles Times – Patrick McGreevy | Published: 2/1/2017
Interest groups spent $309 million on lobbying government officials in California last year, with the oil industry, environmental organizations, labor unions, and the health industry pouring the greatest amounts into legislative and regulatory battles. It is the second time in the state’s history that more than $300 million has been spent in a year, just short of the record $314 million paid out for lobbying in 2015. Seeing such large amounts spent by wealthy interests is a concern, public advocates say, because it reflects an effort to exert heavy influence on government officials that average citizens may not be able to match.
Massachusetts
Slots Ballot Question Backers Fines $125,000 for Campaign Finance
Boston Globe – Michael Levenson | Published: 1/27/2017
Developer Eugene McCain led the public charge to push Ballot Question 1, which would have allowed the construction of Massachusetts’ second slots parlor on property he owns near the Suffolk Downs race track in Revere. But the measure was defeated in November, and now McCain’s political committee has agreed to pay $125,000 to state campaign finance regulators for hiding the identity of the ballot measure’s backers.
Michigan – Dozens of Former State Employees Now Work for Contractors
Lansing State Journal – Justin Hinkley | Published: 1/27/2017
A Lansing State Journal investigation identified 87 former state employees in Michigan who are now working for major state contractors, consultants, or vendors, nearly half of whom started working for the contractor immediately after leaving state government. Six of those employees are now working for contractors they oversaw while employed by the state government. The investigation found no examples of quid-pro-quos, such as state employees favoring contractors to get a job. But monitoring for such problems is difficult because no one in Michigan regularly tracks where the nearly 49,000 state employees go when they leave the government workforce. Michigan is one of only nine states that do not put limits on where civil servants can work after they leave state employment.
Montana – Motl Can Remain Until Replacement Is Confirmed
Great Falls Tribune – Matt Volz (Associated Press) | Published: 2/1/2017
The Montana Supreme Court ruled that Commissioner of Political Practices Jonathan Motl’s term has expired, but he can remain in office until a successor is found. The ruling comes in a lawsuit that claimed Motl is entitled to a full six-year term ending in 2019, and not the January 1 expiration date set by Gov. Steve Bullock and confirmed by the Montana Senate. Republican legislative leaders have been seeking Motl’s removal from the office amid the dispute, and at one point tried to cut off the commissioner’s pay. Two people have submitted applications to replace Motl: his chief legal counsel, Jamie MacNaughton, and former Billings City Commissioner Michael Larson.
Oregon – Oregon Lawmakers Pay Their Businesses with Campaign Funds – It’s Legal, But Is It Ethical?
Portland Oregonian – Gordon Friedman | Published: 1/27/2017
At least 11 Oregon lawmakers have tapped campaign funds to pay their business or nonprofit in the last decade. The cash expenditures, made by Democrats and Republicans in the state House and Senate, range from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands. All said their payments fell within the bounds of the state’s campaign finance statute. Oregon law allows candidates to buy goods and services at “fair market value” from their own businesses with campaign funds, said state Elections Director Steve Trout. Candidates are only barred from using campaign funds to buy intangibles, like “political consultancy or advising,” he said. But it appears two lawmakers may have done just that.
South Dakota – South Dakota Senate Sends Ethics Law Repeal to Governor
ABC News – James Nord (Associated Press) | Published: 2/1/2017
South Dakota lawmakers passed a bill that repeals Initiated Measure 22, a voter approved plan that instituted a public campaign finance system, created a state ethics commission, and tightened campaign finance and lobbying laws. Republican lawmakers contend those provisions are unconstitutional. They challenged the overhaul in state court, which put the initiative on hold while the case moves forward. An emergency provision means the bill would take effect immediately and could not be referred back it to the ballot. Lawmakers have filed proposals that would supplant provisions of the initiative, including similar restrictions on lobbyist gifts and more limited watchdog commissions.
Tennessee – In Tennessee, Lobbyists’ Employers Face Few Disclosure Rules
The Tennessean – Dave Boucher | Published: 1/28/2017
Tennessee law allows companies and organizations to report how much they paid lobbyists and how much they spent on other related expenditures as a range, not specific amounts. State law also does not require those companies to provide additional details about what money is spent on or who they were trying to influence. Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance Executive Director Drew Rawlins said companies do not need to provide any receipts or detailed accounting information on their semi-annual reports. While laws regulating lobbyists in other states vary, most require far more information from those employing lobbyists.
West Virginia – Potential Conflicts Also Issue for New WV Commerce Secretary
Charleston Gazette – Andrew Brown | Published: 1/31/2017
Woody Thrasher, West Virginia’s new secretary of the Department of Commerce, owns one of the largest engineering firms in the state and he still has to figure out what to do with his businesses now that he has joined state government. This is the first time Thrasher is serving in public office, but it is not the first time his private firm and other companies have interacted with the Department of Commerce and the state’s executive branch. Thrasher said he is removing himself from the day-to-day operations of his businesses but suggests he is not giving up his ownership.
State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 60 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.
February 1, 2017 •
Wednesday Government Relations News Roundup
Lobbying “Is It Time for a Lobbyist Union? Juneau Representative Proposes 2.5 Percent Industry Tax” by Nathaniel Herz for Alaska Dispatch News “Richard Corcoran: Rick Scott’s ethics proposals not personal” by Jim Rusica for Florida Politics “Senate Committee Compares House […]
Lobbying
“Is It Time for a Lobbyist Union? Juneau Representative Proposes 2.5 Percent Industry Tax” by Nathaniel Herz for Alaska Dispatch News
“Richard Corcoran: Rick Scott’s ethics proposals not personal” by Jim Rusica for Florida Politics
“Senate Committee Compares House and Senate Bills on Lobbyist Gift Restrictions” by Benjamin Peters for Missouri Times
Ethics
“Trump Fires Acting Attorney General Who Defied Him” by Michael Shear, Mark Landler, Matt Apuzzo, and Eric Lichtblau for New York Times
“Two Applicants Seek to Replace Jon Motl as Commissioner of Political Practices” by Troy Carter for Bozeman Daily Chronicle
“Voters to Decide If Crooked State Pols Lose Pensions” by Matthew Hamilton for Albany Times Union
“In Letter, Justice Again Tries to Address Conflicts of Interest” by Andrew Brown for Charleston Gazette
Legislative Issues
“Don’t Like the Ballot Measure Voters Approved? Just Ignore It, Some Lawmakers Say.” by Alan Greenblatt for Governing
Redistricting
“Court to Wisconsin Republicans: Redraw election maps” by Jason Stein for Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
January 27, 2017 •
News You Can Use Digest – January 27, 2017
National: Angry Democrats Study the Tea Party’s Playbook New York Times – Jonathan Martin | Published: 1/23/2017 Eight years after Republicans united after a stinging electoral defeat to oppose President Barack Obama, Democrats are channeling an even deeper anxiety over President Trump into […]
National:
Angry Democrats Study the Tea Party’s Playbook
New York Times – Jonathan Martin | Published: 1/23/2017
Eight years after Republicans united after a stinging electoral defeat to oppose President Barack Obama, Democrats are channeling an even deeper anxiety over President Trump into a newfound burst of organizing. Party leaders, eyeing the recent huge protests and growing worries over the promised repeal of the Affordable Care Act, are hoping to recreate the mass movement that sprang up in 2009 and swept Republicans to power in the House and in governor’s races across the country – a tea party equivalent from the left.
Report Cites Growing Corruption, Sees Link with Rising Populism
Reuters – Andrea Shalal | Published: 1/25/2017
Those who turn to populist politicians that promise to upset the status quo and end corruption may only be feeding the problem, a watchdog group warned. Transparency International said in its annual Corruption Perceptions Index for 2016 that in countries with populist or autocratic leaders, “instead of tackling crony capitalism, those leaders usually install even worse forms of corrupt systems.”
Federal:
At Trump’s Mar-a-Lago, the Price for Joining the ‘Winter White House’ Has Doubled
Washington Post – Drew Harwell | Published: 1/25/2017
Mar-a-Lago, the Palm Beach resort owned by the Trump Organization, doubled its new-member fee to $200,000 following the election of Donald Trump as president. Mar-a-Lago has assumed a prized role in Trump’spresidency, rivaling Trump Tower as a focal point of his lifestyle and ambitions. The price jump was slammed by watchdogs, who have criticized Trump’ lack of separation between his private finances and public power. Asked if having Trump in the White House has meant greater interest in outsiders joining the club – including people who might want access to the president – Bernd Lembcke, the managing director of the club, said, “t enhances it.”
Companies Drafting Emergency Plans for Trump Tweets
The Hill – Megan Wilson and Melanie Zanona | Published: 1/19/2017
President Donald Trump has used social media to criticize American businesses, often for off-shoring jobs or manufacturing facilities, and many expect him to keep up the broadsides in the Oval Office. Being attacked by Trump is not only bad publicity but also it can also cause a sudden drop in a company’s stock price. Businesses that have yet to tangle with Trump are fearful they might be next, and have turned to consultants and lobbyists in Washington, D.C. to prepare for the possibility.
Lawmakers Admonish Ethics Official Over Tweets About Trump
Business Insider – Matthew Daley (Associated Press) | Published: 1/23/2017
Lawmakers from both parties admonished a federal ethics official who sent a series of tweets commenting on President Donald Trump’s potential conflicts-of-interest. Members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee said the tweets by Walter Shaub Jr., director of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), were inappropriate and could compromise the agency’s objectivity. Committee Chairperson Jason Chaffetz called Shaub’s comments “highly unethical” and summoned him to a closed-door meeting. Chaffetz and committee Democrats also met with Shaub for more than an hour, an unusual meeting prompted by Republicans’ frustration with the ethics office and its operations, rather than Trump.
Liberal Watchdog Group Sues Trump, Alleging He Violated Constitutional Ban
Washington Post – David Fahrenthold and Jonathan O’Connell | Published: 1/23/2017
To fight what it called a “grave threat” to the country, a watchdog group filed a lawsuit alleging President Donald Trump is violating the Constitution by allowing his business to accept payments from foreign governments. The lawsuit claims Trump is violating a clause in the Constitution that prohibits him from receiving money from diplomats for stays at his hotels or foreign governments for leases of office space in his buildings. The language in the clause is disputed by legal experts, and some think the suit will fail, but it signaled the start of a legal assault by Trump critics on what they see as unprecedented conflicts between his business and the presidency.
Trump’s Flashy Executive Actions Could Run Aground
Politico – Isaac Arnsdorf, Josh Dawsey, and Seung Min Kim | Published: 1/25/2017
The breakneck pace of President Donald Trump’s executive orders might please his supporters, but critics are questioning whether the documents are being rushed through without the necessary review from agency experts and lawmakers who will bear the burden of actually carrying them out. People familiar with Trump’s planning say he wanted daily events to show supporters he would follow through on his campaign agenda, but the process is playing out chaotically. Inside the West Wing, it is almost impossible for some aides to know what is in the executive orders, staffers say. They have been written by Stephen Miller, the senior adviser for policy, and Steve Bannon, Trump’s chief strategist, according to people familiar with the matter. By contrast, the Obama White House ran executive orders through a painstaking process of soliciting feedback from agencies and briefing lawmakers.
We Rely on the Government for Lots of Data. What Happens to That in the Era of ‘Alternative Facts’?
Washington Post – Mark Berman | Published: 1/23/2017
For wary journalists, it seemed only a matter of time before Donald Trump’s presidency would lead to a standoff between his administration and the news media. On the first weekend of the administration, Trump declared himself in “a running war with the media” and the president’s press secretary, Sean Spicer, used his first appearance on the White House podium to deliver a fiery jeremiad against the press. Worse, many journalists said, were the falsehoods that sprang from the lips of both Trump and Spicer. False statements, lies, and evasions are not unique to any one politician or political operative, nor are they the province solely of those who work in politics. But they take on an unmistakably different tenor when delivered with the imprimatur of the federal government, something that remains true even given the times government agencies and officials have been dishonest with the American people.
From the States and Municipalities:
Alaska – As Clock Ticked Toward Session, Alaska Lawmakers Turned to Lobbyists for Cash
Alaska Dispatch News – Nathaniel Herz | Published: 1/22/2017
While state law prohibits Alaska lawmakers from collecting campaign money during the legislative session, fundraisers held on the eve of the session have long been a tradition in Juneau. Lobbyists are banned from donating directly to legislative candidates, except those seeking to represent the lobbyist’s own House or Senate district. But they can give thousands of dollars at the pre-session events, which technically raise money for party committees, not lawmakers’ campaigns, though the parties often distribute cash to the campaigns of individual legislators.
Colorado – Colorado Ethics Commission Tells Aurora Councilwoman to Follow State Ethics Rules Because of Job
Denver Post – Jon Murray | Published: 1/23/2017
The Colorado Independent Ethics Commission said a state employee who also serves as an Aurora City Council member should follow Amendment 41 rather than her city’s less-stringent gift rules. Councilperson Angela Lawson works by day as the lobbyist program manager in the secretary of state’s office. She has been waiting more than a year for an advisory opinion following her election in November 2015. The request was delayed after the commission decided first to sort out how to approach home-rule cities that have their own ethics codes and do not follow the state’s Amendment 41, passed by voters in 2006. The ethics panel issued a recent position statement on the issue sparking outcry from the Colorado Municipal League and local government attorneys.
Florida – Lee Clerk Wants Audit of County Lobby Logs
The News-Press – Patricia Borns | Published: 1/24/2017
Clerk of Court Linda Doggett plans to audit Lee County commissioners’ logs to find out if they and their staff are being transparent about their conversations with lobbyists. A media investigation of Commissioner Larry Kiker’s lobby logs found discrepancies between his calendars, emails, and text messages showing meetings and phone calls with paid and unpaid lobbyists were not always noted. A second investigation, after Kiker cleaned up the lobby log, showed the problem persisted.
New Mexico – Loophole Cuts Lobbyist Spending Reporting
New Mexico In Depth – Sandra Fish | Published: 1/19/2017
New Mexico Lobbyists and their employers spent more than $595,000 on gifts, meals, and more for lawmakers and other public officials in 2016. But that number is likely tens of thousands of dollars too low because of a loophole created during the last legislative session. That loophole removed a requirement for lobbyists to report any expenses spent on individual lawmakers below a certain threshold. Previously, lobbyists had to report all spending, itemizing expenses spent above $75 per lawmaker and aggregating expenses below $75 per lawmaker. Now lobbyists do not have to report any spending below $100 per lawmaker. That took effect July 1, 2016.
South Dakota – South Dakota Legislators Seek Hasty Repeal of Ethics Law Voters Passed
New York Times – Monica Davey and Nicholas Confessore | Published: 1/25/2017
South Dakota voters approved a ballot measure last November that would create an independent state ethics commission, impose tougher limits on campaign contributions and lobbyists’ gifts to lawmakers, increase disclosure by independent political groups, and set up a system to publicly finance elections. But the state’s Republican Legislature is racing to set aside that new law by using its emergency powers, prompting cries of protest from voters and critics, who are calling the hasty efforts an antidemocratic power grab. In effect, they say, the state’s residents are being told their votes do not matter. Lawmakers demanding repeal say the ethics regulations are irretrievably flawed and include provisions that may be unconstitutional.
Texas – Once-Dead Ethics Reforms Could Curb Lobbying Tricks, Increase Disclosures and Punish Criminal Lawmakers
Dallas News – J. David McSwane | Published: 1/25/2017
Ethics reform bills have been introduced in the Texas Legislature. Sen. Van Taylor and Rep. Charlie Geren are each filing substantial bills in their chambers, along with smaller measures dedicated to specific ethics reforms outlined in the larger bills. That scattershot approach increases the likelihood that at least some of the new regulations will reach the governor’s desk. The reforms include lowering the dollar threshold for when lobbyists must report paying for meals or transportation for officials. Lobbyists would also be required to itemize the total bill paid on behalf of elected officials or their families. This closes a loophole that allows lobbyists to split large bar and restaurant tabs, among several lobbyists to avoid reporting thresholds.
State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 60 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.
January 25, 2017 •
Wednesday Government Relations News Roundup
Lobbying “Lobbyists Expect Boom Times under Trump” by Megan Wilson for The Hill Campaign Finance “Condos, Donovan Tackle Campaign Finance Together” by Mark Johnson for VTDigger.org Ethics “Trump Is Said to Keep James Comey as F.B.I. Director” by Michael Schmidt […]
Lobbying
“Lobbyists Expect Boom Times under Trump” by Megan Wilson for The Hill
Campaign Finance
“Condos, Donovan Tackle Campaign Finance Together” by Mark Johnson for VTDigger.org
Ethics
“Trump Is Said to Keep James Comey as F.B.I. Director” by Michael Schmidt and Adam Goldman for New York Times
“Lawmakers Admonish Ethics Official Over Tweets About Trump” by Matthew Daley (Associated Press) for Business Insider
Colorado: “Colorado Ethics Commission Tells Aurora Councilwoman to Follow State Ethics Rules Because of Job” by Jon Murray for Denver Post
Kentucky: “Richie Farmer’s Girlfriend Drops Ethics Appeal” by Tom Loftus for Louisville Courier-Journal
Minnesota: “After Shocking Collapse, Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton Announces He Has Prostate Cancer” by Samantha Schmidt and Lindsey Bever for Washington Post
South Dakota: “South Dakota Republicans Are About to Get Rid of the State’s First Independent Ethics Commission” by Amber Phillips for Washington Post
Elections
“Angry Democrats Study the Tea Party’s Playbook” by Jonathan Martin for New York Times
Legislative Issues
Massachusetts: “Legislative Leaders Aiming for 40 Percent Pay Hikes” by Frank Phillips for Boston Globe
January 20, 2017 •
Maryland Ethics and Transparency Bills Proposed
Gov. Larry Hogan introduced several legislative acts to state lawmakers on January 19, 2017, including the Public Integrity Act, the Liquor Board Reform Act, and the Legislative Transparency Act. The bills are seen as a reaction to conspiracy and bribery […]
Gov. Larry Hogan introduced several legislative acts to state lawmakers on January 19, 2017, including the Public Integrity Act, the Liquor Board Reform Act, and the Legislative Transparency Act. The bills are seen as a reaction to conspiracy and bribery scandals lawmakers were involved with in 2016.
If approved, the Public Integrity Act would keep lawmakers from using legislation to help their own businesses, and also prohibit legislators, appointees, and other staff from working as a lobbyist within a year of exiting their posts. The Liquor Board Reform Act would require state senators to make the committee nominations. And, under the Legislative Transparency Act, the House and Senate would have to stream their sessions live via video. Currently, the sessions are live, but just in audio format.
January 13, 2017 •
NYCU Video Digest – January 13, 2017
See what’s happening in government relations this week in our News You Can Use Video Digest. Enjoy!
See what’s happening in government relations this week in our News You Can Use Video Digest. Enjoy!
January 6, 2017 •
NYCU Video Digest – January 6, 2017
See what’s happening in government relations this week in our News You Can Use Video Digest. Enjoy!
See what’s happening in government relations this week in our News You Can Use Video Digest. Enjoy!
December 23, 2016 •
NYCU Video Digest – December 23, 2016
See what’s happening in government relations this week in our News You Can Use Video Digest. Enjoy!
See what’s happening in government relations this week in our News You Can Use Video Digest. Enjoy!
December 23, 2016 •
News You Can Use Digest – December 23, 2016
National: Suspected of Corruption at Home, Powerful Foreigners Find Refuge in U.S. Miami Herald – Kyra Gurney, Analji Tsui, David Iaconangelo, and Selena Cheng | Published: 12/9/2016 Wealthy politicians and businesspeople suspected of corruption in their native lands are fleeing to a safe […]
National:
Suspected of Corruption at Home, Powerful Foreigners Find Refuge in U.S.
Miami Herald – Kyra Gurney, Analji Tsui, David Iaconangelo, and Selena Cheng | Published: 12/9/2016
Wealthy politicians and businesspeople suspected of corruption in their native lands are fleeing to a safe haven where their wealth and influence shield them from arrest. They have entered this country on a variety of visas, including one designed to encourage investment. Some have applied for asylum, which is intended to protect people fleeing oppression and political persecution. The increasingly popular destination for people avoiding criminal charges is no pariah nation. It is the United States.
The Future of Campaign Finance Reform Is at The State and Local Level
Huffington Post – Paul Blumenthal | Published: 12/20/2016
Portland’s passage of an ordinance establishing public funding for campaigns came on the heels of similar victories in South Dakota and Missouri, as well as in Berkeley, California, and Howard County, Maryland. These successes showcase the broad bipartisan support across the country for campaign finance reform that boosts the power of small donors to counter the dominance of big money. These wins, while big in their own right, were supposed to be overshadowed by changes at the U.S. Supreme Court level. Donald Trump is likely to appoint someone whose thought process lines up with that of late Justice Antonin Scalia, meaning the five-vote majority that wrote Citizens United would maintain its power and campaign finance laws would continue to fall. So reformers rest their hopes where they can: at the state and local levels.
Federal:
Access to Donald Trump, for $500,000: Pitfalls for Presidents’ Families
New York Times – Eric Lipton | Published: 12/20/2016
The initial invitation from Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump dangled a rare opportunity for donors willing to give $500,000 and more: a private reception with the new president the day after his inauguration and a hunting or fishing excursion with one of the brothers. But after the details about the “camouflage & cufflinks”-themed fundraiser first leaked, a spokesperson for President-elect Donald Trump said neither he nor his adult sons were involved in plans for the event. The confusion over the family’s connection to the fundraiser showed the degree to which Trump has failed to set rules that would protect his family from allegations of influence-peddling or draw clear lines between himself and the interests of his children, who will take over management of his business empire, watchdog groups said.
Donald Trump Is Holding a Government Casting Call. He’s Seeking ‘The Look.’
Washington Post – Philip Rucker and Karen Tumulty | Published: 12/21/2016
The parade of potential job-seekers passing the media cameras at Trump Tower has the feel of a casting call. It is no coincidence that a disproportionate share of the names most mentioned for jobs at the upper echelon of the new administration are familiar faces to viewers of cable news. Given Donald Trump’s own background as a master brander who ran beauty pageants as a sideline, it was probably inevitable he would be looking beyond their résumés for a certain aesthetic in his supporting players. “You can come with somebody who is very much qualified for the job, but if they don’t look the part, they’re not going anywhere,” said a person familiar with the transition team’s deliberations.
Former Philadelphia Congressman Chaka Fattah Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison
Philadelphia Inquirer – Jeremy Roebuck | Published: 12/13/2016
Former U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah, who was convicted in June of more than 20 counts corruption, was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Fattah repeatedly bribed others and stole campaign contributions, charitable donations, and federal grant money, prosecutors said. He will pay $614,000 in damages and will be supervised for three years after his release. Fattah’s son is serving a five-year prison sentence for defrauding Philadelphia banks and the IRS to cover gambling debts and other personal expenses.
From the States and Municipalities:
Alaska
New Alaska House Leaders Embrace Loophole to raise Campaign Cash from Lobbyists
Alaska Dispatch News – Nathaniel Herz | Published: 12/18/2016
Republican leaders of Alaska’s incoming House majority coalition are embracing a fundraising loophole that allows them to collect money from lobbyists, who are otherwise restricted from donating to legislators and candidates. House Democrats, who joined with the Republicans to form the majority coalition, have been some of the most vocal supporters of legislation to limit the flow of special-interest money into the state’s campaigns. But they are now collaborating with the fundraising efforts of their new GOP colleagues, Reps. Gabrielle LeDoux and Paul Seaton.
Colorado
Denver Officials Move Closer to Listing Their Gifts Online and Tightening Ethics Rules
Denver Post – Jon Murray | Published: 12/20/2016
Denver is moving closer to adopting ethics code reforms and revamping lobbyist and gift disclosure rules that will make it easier for citizens to see who is wooing officials with meals and tickets. Besides discussing a new dollar limit on event tickets from each donor with a city interest, the most significant proposed changes also may be the simplest: make elected and appointed officials’ gift disclosures available online, and do it more often, every six months instead of annually.
Louisiana
Lobbyists Spent Nearly Half a Million Dollars to Woo Louisiana Legislators in 2016
New Orleans Advocate – Elizabeth Crisp | Published: 12/18/2016
Nearly $500,000 has been spent entertaining state legislators this year, roughly $3,300 in lobbyist spending per lawmaker, as the Louisiana Legislature spent a record-setting 19 weeks in session sorting through the state’s fiscal woes. A review of disclosure data shows the $476,019.20 tab that lobbyists have run up in 2016 far outpaced the amount spent in any of the eight years since the state began requiring more detailed expenditure reporting. At least 593 registered lobbyists pushed for or against legislation as it made its way through the Capitol this year. “Every interest pretty much has a lobbyist in Baton Rouge,” said Pearson Cross, a political science professor at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Massachusetts
Appeals Court Overturns Convictions in Probation Department Scandal
Boston Globe – Milton Valencia | Published: 12/19/2016
A U.S. appeals court judge overturned the convictions of three former Massachusetts Probation Department officials accused of running a rigged hiring scheme. Probation Commissioner John O’Brien and his deputies, Elizabeth Tavares and William Burke, were convicted in July 2014. Prosecutors said they hired employees based on political connections, not merit, then lied when they certified the hires were done correctly. Judge Juan Torruella in his ruling said O’Brien and others misran the department and made efforts to conceal the patronage hiring system. “But not all unappealing conduct is criminal,” Torruella wrote. He said the government did not adequately prove O’Brien accepted a gratuity since there was not sufficient linkage between O’Brien’s offering favored candidates a job and him getting a specific item of value in return.
New Jersey
Lawmakers’ Revolt Sinks Book Deal, Newspaper Bill
Bergen Record – Salvador Rizzo | Published: 12/19/2016
A book deal for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will have to wait. State lawmakers said they would not vote on a measure changing an ethics law that barred Christie from cashing in on a book deal while in office, at the same time giving millions of dollars in pay raises to lawmakers’ staff, judges, and other officials. The measure had buy-in from leaders in the Democrat-led Legislature and was on a fast track to the governor’s desk at the same time as a measure viewed by some as a vendetta by Christie against the state’s newspapers. But rank-and-file members all but revolted in closed-door meetings when faced with the book-deal legislation, and Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto said a separate bill that would end the requirement that government legal notices be published in newspapers will be postponed until next year.
New York
De Blasio Is Fined $48,000 for Campaign Finance Violations
New York Times – J. David Goodman | Published: 12/15/2016
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has been fined almost $48,000 for violating spending rules during his 2013 mayoral campaign. The city council also passed a bill to limit the activities of outside nonprofit political groups, a measure aimed squarely at the Campaign for One New York, a nonprofit political group created by de Blasio and his aides that is at the center of state and federal inquiries into his fundraising.
New York
N.Y. Pay-to-Play Plot Fueled by Bribes, U.S. Says
Bloomberg.com – Bob Van Voris and Chris Dolmetsch | Published: 12/21/2016
A former official at the country’s third-largest pension fund and two broker-dealers were charged in what a federal prosecutor described as a classic bribery scheme. Navnoor King, the former head of the New York State Common Retirement Fund’s fixed income trades, received more than $100,000 worth of bribes from broker-dealers Deborah Kelley and Gregg Sconhorn, prosecutors said. Regulators found Kang steered about $2 billion in fixed-income trades to firms represented by Kelley and Schonhorn, resulting in millions of dollars in commissions. Prosecutors said in exchange, Kang received a $10,000 all-expenses-paid trip to Montreal, tickets to a Paul McCartney concert, a $17,420 Panerai wristwatch, dinners at upscale restaurants, prostitutes, and cocaine.
North Carolina
North Carolina Governor Signs Bill Limiting His Successor’s Power
Governing – Pat Jarvis (Raleigh News & Observer) | Published: 12/19/2016
North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory signed bills that will limit the authority of his successors and reduce Democrats’ power over election regulation in the wake of two contentious special sessions. Senate Bill 4 would create a commission merging the current State Board of Elections, State Ethics Commission, and the lobbying-regulation functions of the secretary of state’s office. Protesters disrupted a House debate about the changes to election law, chanting and prompting House Speaker Tim Moore to order police to clear the public gallery.
South Carolina
Rep. Jim Merrill Indicted in S.C. Statehouse Probe; Suspended from Office
Charleston Post & Courier – Schuyler Kropf and Glenn Smith | Published: 12/15/2016
South Carolina Rep. Jim Merrill was indicted on 30 charges that accuse him of misconduct in office as far back as 2002 as well as a series of ethics violations. The indictment says Merrill illegally used his office to pocket at least $1.3 million, either directly or through his business, Geechie Communications. He also failed to disclose receiving payments of more $673,000 from trade, advocacy, and political groups in violation of state ethics law, according to the indictment. Crangle, head of South Carolina Common Cause, said he suspects as many as three or four more people are facing indictments.
South Carolina
Smarter Corruption: How Lost Trust evolved into ‘Capitol Gains’
Charleston Post & Courier – Tony Bartelme and Doug Pardue | Published: 12/17/2016
“Operation Lost Trust” in 1990 ended much of the overt vote selling that went on at the South Carolina Legislature. But the recent indictment of a powerful state lawmaker showed, prosecutors believe other forms of graft and influence-peddling have taken its place, schemes that are more difficult to pierce. Where cash once was transferred in brown bags and envelopes, prosecutors now say money moves through a murky system of legislative caucuses, PACs, campaign accounts, and private businesses – and enormous sums are at stake.
State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 60 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.
December 20, 2016 •
Tuesday Lobbying and Campaign Finance News Update
Campaign Finance “Activists Brace for Fight Over Campaign Finance Law” by Alex Roarty for Roll Call Arkansas: “Old Advice on State Judicial Donors Cut, Not Revised” by Lisa Hammersly for Northwest Arkansas News Oregon: “Portland to Revive Public Campaign Financing […]
Campaign Finance
“Activists Brace for Fight Over Campaign Finance Law” by Alex Roarty for Roll Call
Arkansas: “Old Advice on State Judicial Donors Cut, Not Revised” by Lisa Hammersly for Northwest Arkansas News
Oregon: “Portland to Revive Public Campaign Financing in 2019” by Jessica Floum for Portland Oregonian
Ethics
Pennsylvania: “Former Philadelphia Congressman Chaka Fattah Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison” by Jeremy Roebuck for Philadelphia Inquirer
Illinois: “Ald. Willie Cochran Indicted on Thefts from Ward Charity” by Jason Meisner, Jeremy Gorner, and Hal Dardick for Chicago Tribune
Indiana: “Former Lawmaker Lands Job with Vaping Group That Benefited from His Vote” by Tony Cook for Indianapolis Star
Kentucky: “Tim Longmeyer Pleads Guilty to State Felony” by Tom Loftus for Louisville Courier-Journal
New York: “Reform Group Sues Over New Disclosure Law” by Casey Seiler for Albany Times Union
Wisconsin: “Wisconsin Ethics Commissioner Resigns in Disgust” by Jason Stein for Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Elections
“Electoral College Settles Donald Trump’s Victory, but Little Else” by Jonathan Martin and Michael Wines for New York Times
“All This Talk of Voter Fraud? Across U.S., Officials Found Next to None” by Michael Wines for New York Times
December 16, 2016 •
NYCU Video Digest – December 16, 2016
See what’s happening in government relations this week in our News You Can Use Video Digest. Enjoy!
See what’s happening in government relations this week in our News You Can Use Video Digest. Enjoy!
December 2, 2016 •
First Hearing Set in Court Challenge Against South Dakota’s Initiated Measure 22
The lawsuit filed in state court to block the government ethics overhaul recently approved by voters will have its first hearing December 8th. The lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of Initiated Measure 22 which became effective last week restricting campaign contributions […]
The lawsuit filed in state court to block the government ethics overhaul recently approved by voters will have its first hearing December 8th. The lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of Initiated Measure 22 which became effective last week restricting campaign contributions and gifts from lobbyists.
The group of 24 Republican lawmakers bringing the suit are seeking an injunction to block the law, and South Dakotans for Integrity, the ballot question committee that supported Initiated Measure 22, has filed a motion to intervene.
December 2, 2016 •
NYCU Video Digest – December 2, 2016
See what’s happening in government relations this week in our News You Can Use Video Digest. Enjoy!
See what’s happening in government relations this week in our News You Can Use Video Digest. Enjoy!
State and Federal Communications, Inc. provides research and consulting services for government relations professionals on lobbying laws, procurement lobbying laws, political contribution laws in the United States and Canada. Learn more by visiting stateandfed.com.