On March 21, Senators Marco Rubio and Tom Cotton and Rep. Joe Wilson introduced a bill to limit exemptions for registration under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).

Senate Bill 2583, the Foreign Influence Transparency Act, amends FARA to limit the exemption from the registration requirements for persons engaging in activities in furtherance of bona fide religious, scholastic, academic, or scientific pursuits or the fine arts to activities which do not promote the political agenda of a foreign government.

The bill limits the existing registration exemptions by qualifying they apply “only if the activities do not promote the political agenda of a government of a foreign country.” The legislation also amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 by requiring the disclosures of foreign gifts and contracts over $50,000 made to universities.

“The goal of this legislation is to increase transparency between foreign governments, universities, and communities,” said Wilson in his press release.

Lobbying

California: “California Political Watchdog Targets ‘Shadow Lobbyists’” by Taryn Luna for Sacramento Bee

Maryland: “Here Are the Top Lobbyists in Maryland for the 2016 Legislative Session” by Ovetta Wiggins for Washington Post

Oregon: “Post Uber, Portland Leaders Look to Strengthen Lobbying Rules” by Amelia Templeton for Oregon Public Radio

Campaign Finance

“The Next ‘Citizens United’ Is Coming” by Carrie Levine for Center for Public Integrity

District of Columbia: “Close Council Vote Rejects Campaign Contribution Reform” by Rachel Kurzius for DCist.com

Ethics

Colorado: “Colorado Supreme Court to Hear Case Challenging State Ethics Commission’s Role” by Joey Bunch for Denver Post

Elections

“Will Dominant Images of Conventions Be of Unity or Protest?” by Trip Gabriel for New York Times

Florida: “Marco Rubio Will Seek Senate Reelection, Reversing Pledge Not to Run” by Mike DeBonis, Ed O’Keefe, and Sean Sullivan for Washington Post

Florida: “Florida Lawmaker Wants to Give Away an AR-15” by Mike McPhate for New York Times

Legislative Issues

“House Democrats’ Gun-Control Sit-In Turns into Chaotic Showdown with Republicans” by David Herszenhorn and Emmarie Huetteman for New York Times

Lobbying

Minnesota: “Governments Spend Millions Lobbying Government” by J. Patrick Coolican for Minneapolis Star Tribune

Missouri: “State Law Murky on Who Qualifies as a Local Lobbyist” by Caitlin Campbell for Columbia Tribune

Campaign Finance

“Marco Rubio’s Secret (Money) Legacy” by Shane Goldmacher for Politico

“House Wants Campaign Finance Study” by Geoff Pender for Jackson Clarion-Ledger

Ethics

“Ethics Advocates Decry Opaque Budget Negotiations” by Casey Seiler for Albany Times Union

Florida: “Opa-locka’s ‘Shadow’ Force Moves Millions in City Contracts” by Jay Weaver, Michael Sallah, and Katie Lepri for Miami Herald

Ohio: “City Hall Scandals Prompt Ginther to Propose New Ethics Rules” by Lucas Sullivan for Columbus Dispatch

South Carolina: “Solicitor David Pascoe Says He Won’t Step Down from Corruption Probe Unless Court-Ordered to Do So” by Cynthia Roldan and Glenn Smith for Charleston Post & Courier

Elections

“How Clinton’s Email Scandal Took Root” by Robert O’Harrow, Jr. for Washington Post

“Campaign Manager for Donald Trump Is Charged With Battery” by Maggie Haberman and for New York Times

Legislative Issues

Maryland: “Maryland Lawmakers Want Gender Pay Gap Closed. They Should Look at Their Own Payroll.” by Fenit Nirappil for Washington Post

Lobbying

“Suddenly, ‘Schumerland’ Is the Place to Be” by Megan Wilson for The Hill

Hawaii: “Tobacco-Free Coalition Cleared on Lobbying Charges” by Nancy Cook Lauer for West Hawaii Today

Texas: “Local Government, School Lobbying in Ethics Crosshairs” by Jay Root for Texas Tribune

Campaign Finance

“Wealthy Donors on Left Launch New Plan to Wrest Back Control in the States” by Matea Gold for Washington Post

Kentucky: “Former Kentucky Lawmaker Pleads Guilty to Campaign Finance Violations” by John Cheves for Lexington Herald-Leader

Ethics

Georgia: “Common Cause Takes Advocacy Efforts to Georgia Voters” by Carlton Fletcher for Albany Herald

Missouri: “Though Petition Seeks His Ouster, Ferguson Mayor Says He Is Best Leader for City” by John Eligon for New York Times

Washington: “Residents Fight to Save Bothell Golf Course from Developers, Mayor” by Lynn Thompson for Seattle Times

Elections

“Marco Rubio Announces 2016 Presidential Bid” by Ashley Parker and Alan Rappeport for New York Times

“Hillary Clinton Starts to Detail Rationale for Run as Campaign Begins” by Amy Chozick for New York Times

Lobbying

“The ‘Moneyball’ Effect on K Street: The influence game gets scientific” by Catherine Ho for Washington Post

Campaign Finance

California: “Big Money Arrived Too Late for L.A. Election Debate” by David Zahniser for Los Angeles Times

Connecticut: “Former Connecticut State Sen. Newton Gets 6 Months in Prison on 2nd Criminal Conviction” by The Associated Press for Greenfield Daily Reporter

Ethics

“Ex-Energy Official’s $1.7 Million Gig Draws Fire” by Darius Dixon for Politico

“U.S. Attorney Leading Inquiry of Ex-D.C. Mayor Gray to Step Down” by Spencer Hsu, Keith Alexander, and Mike DeBonis for Washington Post

“Marco Rubio’s House of Horrors” by Marc Caputo for Politico

New Mexico: “Longtime New Mexico Sen. Phil Griego Resigns Amid Questions Surrounding Santa Fe Property Deal” by The Associated Press for Greenfield Daily Reporter

Pennsylvania: “Wolf Proposes Slight Funding Increase for Pennsylvania Ethics Commission” by Andrew Staub (PA Independent) for Watchdog.org

Texas: “In Dallas, Most Ethics Complaints Go Nowhere” by Elizabeth Findell for Dallas Morning News

Elections

“Evangelicals Aim to Mobilize an Army for Republicans in 2016” by Jason Horowitz for New York Times