August 30, 2018 •
Alabama Commission Considers Revisions to Ethics
The Alabama Code of Ethics Clarification and Reform Commission (Commission), a joint committee of the Alabama Legislature, met on August 28, 2018, to examine potential revisions to the ethics laws. The meeting was timely as the Alabama Court of Criminal […]
The Alabama Code of Ethics Clarification and Reform Commission (Commission), a joint committee of the Alabama Legislature, met on August 28, 2018, to examine potential revisions to the ethics laws.
The meeting was timely as the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals upheld former House Speaker Mike Hubbard’s conviction on 12 felony ethics charges the day before and requested the Legislature clarify provisions of the ethics law. The Commission is considering recommending altering the definition of principal to include a person with the authority to fire or direct the lobbyist.
Other changes discussed included a tiered penalty system for violations of the law and provisions allowing public officials to maintain certain business relationships during their time as a public official.
The Commission is scheduled to meet again on September 20, 2018.
August 16, 2016 •
Tuesday Lobbying and Campaign Finance News Update
Lobbying “Obama Facing Pressure to Rip Up His Lobbyist Rules” by Sarah Wheaton for Politico Campaign Finance District of Columbia: “‘Shadow Campaign’ Donor and Mastermind Sentenced to Three Months Behind Bars” by Ann Marimow, Mike DeBonis, and Rachel Weiner for […]
Lobbying
“Obama Facing Pressure to Rip Up His Lobbyist Rules” by Sarah Wheaton for Politico
Campaign Finance
District of Columbia: “‘Shadow Campaign’ Donor and Mastermind Sentenced to Three Months Behind Bars” by Ann Marimow, Mike DeBonis, and Rachel Weiner for Washington Post
Montana: “Groups Change Ad Strategies before Campaign Finance Deadline” by Matt Volz (Associated Press) for McClatchyDC
New Mexico: “Legal Loophole Allows Last-Minute Money in Bernco Race to Remain Hidden” by Trip Jennings for New Mexico In Depth
Texas: “Texas Ethics Commission Chases ‘Campaign in a Box’ Spending” by Ross Ramsey for Texas Tribune
Ethics
“Secret Ledger in Ukraine Lists Cash for Donald Trump’s Campaign Chief” by Andrew Kramer, Mike McIntire, and Barry Meier for New York Times
Alabama: “Ethics Commission Schedules Special Meeting to Address Backlog” by Mike Cason for AL.com
Massachusetts: “City Employees Undergo Ethics Refresher Course” by Meghan Irons for Boston Globe
Elections
“Will Donald Trump Hand State Capitols to Democrats?” by Russell Berman for The Atlantic
“Inside the Failing Mission to Tame Trump’s Tongue” by Alexander Burns and Maggie Haberman for New York Times
July 11, 2016 •
Monday News Roundup
Lobbying Missouri: “Andy Blunt Came to Washington – Was It Lobbying?” by Chuck Raasch for St. Louis Post-Dispatch Rhode Island: “Providence Landlords Face Pressure to Register as Lobbyists” by Dan McGowan for WPRI Ethics “US Rep. Corrine Brown Indicted After […]
Lobbying
Missouri: “Andy Blunt Came to Washington – Was It Lobbying?” by Chuck Raasch for St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Rhode Island: “Providence Landlords Face Pressure to Register as Lobbyists” by Dan McGowan for WPRI
Ethics
“US Rep. Corrine Brown Indicted After Fraud Investigation” by Jason Dearen and Curt Anderson (Associated Press) for ABC News
Alabama: “Mike Hubbard Sentenced to Four Years in Prison” by Kim Chandler (Associated Press) for Tuscaloosa News
Florida: “Court OKs Rivera Ethics Fine – But Will State House Speaker Impose It?” by Patricia Mazzei for Miami Herald
Hawaii: “Councilman Calls for Audit Amid Honolulu Ethics Commission Chaos” by Nick Grube for Honolulu Civil Beat
Kentucky: “Ethics Complaint Challenges Bevin Executive Order” by Joseph Gerth for Louisville Courier-Journal
New York: “Fight Over Emails Yields New Details on Role of Outside ‘Agents’ for de Blasio” by J. David Goodman for New York Times
Texas: “Ken Paxton’s ‘Family Friends’ Help Foot Legal Bill, Disclosure Shows” by Jim Malewitz for Texas Tribune
Utah: “Are Utah Taxpayers Footing Bill for Land-Transfer Lawyers’ Lavish Travel?” by Brian Maffly for Salt Lake Tribune
Washington: “Ethics Panel Approves $10K Fine for Seattle Transportation Chief” by Daniel Beekman for Seattle Times
Elections
“Would Donald Trump Quit if He Wins the Election? He Doesn’t Rule It Out” by Jason Horowitz for New York Times
July 8, 2016 •
Former Alabama House Speaker Sentenced
On July 8, 2016, former House Speaker Mike Hubbard was sentenced to four years in prison following his conviction on 12 felony ethics charges. Lee County Circuit Judge Jacob Walker denied prosecutors’ request for Hubbard to pay $1.6 million in […]
On July 8, 2016, former House Speaker Mike Hubbard was sentenced to four years in prison following his conviction on 12 felony ethics charges.
Lee County Circuit Judge Jacob Walker denied prosecutors’ request for Hubbard to pay $1.6 million in restitution and fines. Instead, Hubbard is ordered to pay $210,000 in fines.
June 20, 2016 •
Alabama Special Election Called to Fill Hubbard Vacancy
Gov. Robert Bentley called a special election to fill the vacant seat in the House of Representatives for District 79. The vacancy is a result of former House Speaker Mike Hubbard’s conviction on 12 felony ethics charges, which stripped Hubbard […]
Gov. Robert Bentley called a special election to fill the vacant seat in the House of Representatives for District 79.
The vacancy is a result of former House Speaker Mike Hubbard’s conviction on 12 felony ethics charges, which stripped Hubbard of his position as a member of the Legislature.
The special primary is set for September 13, 2016, and the special general election will take place on November 29, 2016.
June 13, 2016 •
Alabama House Speaker Convicted on 12 Ethics Charges
On June 10, House Speaker Mike Hubbard was found guilty on 12 counts of public corruption. The charges were premised on Hubbard’s solicitation of several consulting contracts while he was in office. Hubbard’s conviction will automatically remove him from both […]
On June 10, House Speaker Mike Hubbard was found guilty on 12 counts of public corruption.
The charges were premised on Hubbard’s solicitation of several consulting contracts while he was in office. Hubbard’s conviction will automatically remove him from both the Legislature and the speaker’s office.
Hubbard faces up to 20 years in prison for each count at his sentencing hearing on July 8, 2016.
June 2, 2016 •
Thursday News Roundup
Lobbying Nebraska: “Money Spent on Lobbying Nebraska Legislature Hit Record $15.6 Million in 2015” by Joe Duggan (Omaha World-Herald) for Kearney Hub Texas: “Texas Ethics Commission Tightens Rules on Trips Paid by Lobbyists” by Sean Collins Walsh for Austin American-Statesman […]
Lobbying
Nebraska: “Money Spent on Lobbying Nebraska Legislature Hit Record $15.6 Million in 2015” by Joe Duggan (Omaha World-Herald) for Kearney Hub
Texas: “Texas Ethics Commission Tightens Rules on Trips Paid by Lobbyists” by Sean Collins Walsh for Austin American-Statesman
Campaign Finance
“The Price of Public Money” by Marilyn Thompson for The Atlantic
California: “In California, Varied Election Filing Practices Reveal a System Struggling to Catch Up” by Kaitlyn Landgraf and Ana Santos for Los Angeles Times
Minnesota: “DFL Rep. Joe Atkins, GOP Rep. Joe Hoppe Hit for Campaign Violations” by Rachel Stassen-Berger and David Montgomery for St. Paul Pioneer Press
Oregon: “Another Strikeout for Limiting Big Money in Oregon Politics” by Taylor Anderson for Bend Bulletin
Ethics
Alabama: “Former Ethics Director Says He Advised Hubbard of Law” by Brian Lyman for Montgomery Advertiser
Arizona: “Judge Tosses Last Bid to Get Arizona Regulator Stump’s Texts” by Howard Fischer (Capitol Media Services) for Arizona Daily Star
Florida: “Prison Inspectors Detail Alleged Interference in Their Investigations” by Mary Ellen Klas for Miami Herald
New York: “De Blasio Doled Out City Appointments from Shady Spreadsheet of Big Campaign Donors” by Jennifer Fermino and Greg Smith for New York Daily News
Elections
“I Can Watch It on TV’: Excuses for Republicans skipping a Donald Trump” by Jeremy Peters for New York Times
“Can Donald Trump Win? These Battleground Regions Will Decide” by Jonathan Martin, Alexander Burns, Trip Gabriel, and Fernanda Santos for New York Times
May 24, 2016 •
Tuesday Lobbying and Campaign Finance News Update
Lobbying Pennsylvania: “Pa. Officials, Lobbyists Split on How to Vet Business Propositions” by Brad Bumsted for Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Campaign Finance “Key G.O.P. Donors Still Deeply Resist Donald Trump’s Candidacy” by Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns for New York Times Massachusetts: […]
Lobbying
Pennsylvania: “Pa. Officials, Lobbyists Split on How to Vet Business Propositions” by Brad Bumsted for Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Campaign Finance
“Key G.O.P. Donors Still Deeply Resist Donald Trump’s Candidacy” by Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns for New York Times
Massachusetts: “New Bill Would Rein in State GOP’s Fund-Raising” by Frank Phillips for Boston Globe
Ethics
Alabama: “One-Time Rising Star Hubbard to Stand Trial on Ethics Charges” by Mike Cason for AL.com
Colorado: “Audit: Colorado ethics commission rarely helps those filing complaints” by Joey Bunch for Denver Post
Hawaii: “Hawaii Lawmakers Again Balk at Ethics, Lobbying Reform” by Nathan Eagle for Honolulu Civil Beat
Elections
“Why Democrats Are Set to Retake State Legislatures in 2016 (and It’s Not Just Trump)” by Amber Phillips for Washington Post
“Bernie Sanders Makes a Campaign Mark. Now, Can He Make a Legacy?” by Jonathan Mahler and Yamiche Alcindor for New York Times
Legislative Issues
Montana: “Term Limits Have Weakened Legislature, Some Observers Say” by Jayme Fraser for Helena Independent Record
Redistricting
Virginia: “Supreme Court Upholds Virginia Redistricting” by Richard Wolf for USA Today
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