Last month at the Public Affairs Council PAC Conference someone came up to me and was surprised our website could be viewed on an iPhone. Well, I guess we have not done a good job of getting the good word out.

In 2013, we updated our website and one of the fabulous benefits is the ability to view it on all devices…As pictured, I have it on my iPhone 6, iPhone 6+, iPad, and my new Surface. My Executive Director Ren Koozer has it on his Droid phone. You can bring it up everywhere you can bring up other websites.

There is nothing better than being able to answer someone’s questions wherever I am in the world … and I get a lot of questions everywhere. Now you do not need to know where I am as long as you have access to www.stateandfed.com and a subscription to our online guides on lobbying, campaign finance, and procurement.

We will continue to shout this from the rooftops because we know we have the #1 site to access the information you need to know for your government relations or procurement lobbying work.

You just cannot buy it at the iTunes store…But, you can contact us from your smart phone, and we can help set up your subscription. Well, I think I just gave you something other than Words with Friends to do on your phone!!

Until next month, stay connected with State and Federal Communications. We will always have the information you need, wherever you may be.

Thank you,

Elizabeth Z. Bartz
President and CEO
@elizabethbartz

Lobbying

Nevada: “Bill to Toughen Nevada Campaign Finance Rules Clears Senate” by Sandra Chereb for Las Vegas Review-Journal

New York: “Avella Proposes Lobbying Ban for Political Consultants” by Josefa Velasquez for Capital New York

Campaign Finance

“In Accepting Bitcoin, Rand Paul Raises Money and Questions” by Eric Lichtblau for New York Times

Ethics

New Mexico: “Equity Firm to Pay $3 Million to SIC to Avert Legal Fight” by Dan Boyd for Albuquerque Journal

Texas: “Senate Votes to Let Home-County Prosecutors, Not Austin, Handle Elected-Official Ethics Cases” by Will Weissert (Associated Press) for Greenfield Daily Reporter

Washington: “State Public Disclosure Commission Director Resigns” by Jim Brunner for Seattle Times

West Virginia: “Ethics Commission Grapples with Trinkets Ban” by Eric Eyre for Charleston Gazette

Elections

“The G.O.P. Presidential Field Looks Chaotic. It’s Not.” by Nate Cohn for New York Times

National:

This Conservative Group is Tired of Being Accused of Climate Denial – and Is Fighting Back
Washington Post – Tom Hamburger, Joby Warrick, and Chris Mooney | Published: 4/5/2015

The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), the conservative partnership of state lawmakers and corporations, is threatening defamation lawsuits against activists who say or suggest the group denies global warming. ALEC recently sent letters to Common Cause and the League of Conservation Voters, asking them to “cease making false statements” and “remove all false or misleading material.” Both organizations have said ALEC, through the policies it lobbies for in states, denies the scientific consensus that humans are significantly changing the climate. They said they would not follow ALEC’s demands. ALEC, among other policies, encourages states to fight regulations and laws meant to combat climate change, like the Environmental Protection Agency’s carbon rules for power.

Federal:

Comcast Recruits Its Beneficiaries to Lobby for Time Warner Deal
New York Times – Eric Lipton | Published: 4/5/2015

Comcast, the media conglomerate long known for its aggressive lobbying operation, has enlisted a vast network of allies to press federal regulators to approve its proposed $45 billion takeover of Time Warner Cable. Letters to Congress supporting the transaction and praising Comcast have come from the Houston Area Urban League and the Dan Marino Foundation in Florida, among others. The argument for the merger has been reinforced by academic papers from groups like the International Center for Law and Economics. More endorsements have come in from elected officials like Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant. But there is a common element to dozens of these appeals: the senders received money from Comcast in recent years, either as a charitable donation, corporate support, or a political contribution.

K St. Firms on Edge about Hacking Threat
The Hill – Elise Viebeck | Published: 4/8/2015

Fearing a data breach, public policy shops on K Street are scrambling to lock down their networks against intrusions by hackers, cyber criminals, and foreign governments. Some firms have begun to encrypt their emails and undergo annual security audits in hopes of avoiding an attack that could tarnish their reputations and send clients fleeing to competitors. The pursuit of better data security is intensifying at a time when Chinese and Russian hackers are targeting Washington with increasingly sophisticated online attacks. Law, lobby, and consulting firms are often privy to sensitive information from their corporate clients, making them appealing targets. But while some firms are focused on strengthening their cyber defenses, experts say progress across the industry is uneven.

Menendez Indictment Marks First Big Corruption Case Involving a Super PAC
Washington Post – Matea Gold | Published: 4/2/2015

The case against U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez is the first time that super PAC donations have figured prominently as evidence of a political corruption scheme, renewing questions about how independently such groups operate. The indictment. The indictment against Menendez and Dr. Salomon Melgen hinges in part on $600,000 that Melgen gave to the Senate Majority PAC, a Democratic super PAC, earmarked to support Menendez’s 2012 re-election bid. The Justice Department argues the donations were among the things of value Melgen offered Menendez so the senator would use his position to help Melgen’s businesses. The case illustrates how super PACs, which can accept unlimited contributions and are supposed to be walled-off from the candidates they support, are viewed by donors as vehicles to ingratiate themselves with politicians.

Network of ‘Super PACs’ Says That It Has Raised $31 Million for Ted Cruz Bid
New York Times – Nicholas Confessore | Published: 4/8/2015

A set of newly formed super PACs backing U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz for president expects to collect more than $31 million in contributions in one week. Although super-PACs have radically changed the pace at which committees backing presidential candidates can raise money, the Cruz haul is remarkable. There are no known cases in which an operation backing a White House hopeful has collected this much money in such a short period of time.

From the States and Municipalities:

California – California Lawmakers’ Campaign Debt Piled High in 2014
Sacramento Bee – Jim Miller | Published: 4/7/2015

Many California lawmakers and unsuccessful candidates continue to live with reminders of costly campaigns. Lawmakers reported about $3.7 million in unpaid bills and personal loans from last November’s elections. Debt retirement fundraisers around the Capitol have been common in recent weeks. Yet such fundraising has long troubled campaign finance watchers. “When you’re raising the money for yourself, it’s going into your own pocket – you’re more grateful to the donor,” said Robert Stern, the former top attorney at the Fair Political Practices Commission who helped write the Political Reform Act.

Florida – When Leaders Became Lobbyists
InsuranceNewsNet.org – Jason Garcia | Published: 4/5/2015

Since 2006, more than two dozen former lawmakers in Florida have made the jump to lobbying, about one of every eight who have left the Legislature over the last five election cycles. The list includes two former House Speakers (Dean Cannon and Larry Cretul) and two former Senate presidents (Mike Haridopolos and Ken Pruitt). In some respects, the transition into lobbying is a logical extension of the skills that legislators need to advance into leadership positions in the first place. Once in a top spot, legislative leaders must be able to understand and work on a broad range of public policy issues and cultivate, maintain, and balance relationships with all manner of businesses and advocacy groups.

Illinois – Chicago Waiting to See if Runoff Truly Has Humbled Rahm Emanuel
New York Times – Monica Davey | Published: 4/8/2015

Mayor Rahm Emanuel defeated challenger Jesus Garcia on April 7, capturing a second term in Chicago’s first-ever runoff election. Yet the fallout for Emanuel from the past six weeks, a period of frenetic campaigning and humbling public self-examination, will be lasting. A tangible bloc of dissent has loudly made its case in a city where Emanuel and the mayors before him had often governed with little effective opposition and most council members in lock step. Even given a decisive margin of victory, the episode has raised a sense of vulnerability around Emmanuel’s political career, and an expectation from some here that his second term in City Hall may look different, in style and perhaps substance, from the first.

Missouri – Missouri House Passes Lobbyist Gift Cap, Cooling Off Period
Kansas City Star – Jason Hancock | Published: 4/2/2015

The Missouri House passed legislation that would cap lobbyist gifts at $25 and ban lawmakers from becoming lobbyists for at least one year after leaving office. Those two provisions differ from the version passed by the state Senate earlier this year, meaning differences have to be worked out before it could be sent to the governor. Missouri is currently the only state with the no caps on lobbyist gifts, no limits on campaign contributions, and no “cooling-off” period for lawmakers.

Missouri – Suicides by Missouri Politicians Raise Questions about State Ethics
KSMU – Frank Morris | Published: 4/9/2015

In February, state Auditor Tom Schweich, a leading candidate for the Republican Party’s nomination for governor, shot himself. Then in March, his press secretary, Spence Jackson, took his own life. The tragedies have sparked fresh scrutiny of Missouri’s increasingly bruising political system. Friends said Schweich was distraught over a coordinated assault from Republicans colleagues backing his chief primary opponent. With voting still more than a year away, they had already launched an attack ad, in the style of the Netflix series House of Cards. Former U.S. Sen. Jack Danforth said Missouri politics has devolved into an arena where ruthless operatives, financed by a wealthy few, battle for power.

New Jersey – Indictments May Be Near in George Washington Bridge Scandal
New York Times – Kate Zernike | Published: 4/8/2015

The New York Times reported that indictments may be coming soon in the investigation into improper lane closures at the George Washington Bridge that has also led to questions about conflicts-of-interest possibly involving Gov. Chris Christie and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The probe was launched a few months after three lanes were closed to the bridge in 2013, causing gridlock in Fort Lee. Emails revealed the lanes were shut down on the orders of a Christie aide. Some believe the lane closures were retribution for the failure of Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich to endorse Christie’s bid for re-election. The Times reported federal prosecutors may bring indictments under a statute that makes it a crime to use the bridge for something other than it intended purpose.

New York – Cuomo Expands Lobbying Oversight to Localities
Capital New York – Jimmy Vielkind | Published: 4/3/2015

The new ethics laws approved in New York as part of the budget deal greatly expand state oversight of municipal lobbying. New York’s lobbying law requires anyone who spends more than $5,000 in an attempt to influence any local law or ordinance, or any pending procurement action, to register its activities with the Joint Commission on Public Ethics. The law had applied to government entities with more than 50,000 people; that threshold was decreased to 5,000 people and was expanded to include school districts of any size. Experts said the onus of disclosure is on the person or company doing the lobbying.

Utah – Tribe’s Infighting Offers Glimpse into Redskins Foundation’s Tactics
Washington Post – John Woodrow Cox | Published: 4/2/2015

A Utah tribal leader was ousted from office for accepting gifts from the Washington Redskins, which council members say wrongly linked their tribe to the National Football League team’s divisive name. Members of the council of the Paiute Indian Tribe said they voted unanimously to remove Chairperson Gari Lafferty, who was accused of misconduct and ethical violations for taking an autographed football and a trip to Washington to attend a game last year. Lafferty said the tribe does not have an official position on the name, but she does not have a personal problem with it. She said the allegations are more related to her leadership style.

Virginia – Norment Won’t Discuss Lobbyist Relationship
The Daily Press – Travis Fain | Published: 4/6/2015

Virginia Senate Majority Leader Tommy Norment acknowledged seeing a lobbyist “personally” in a response to a state bar complaint lodged against him. A pair of Senate Republicans said they have no reason to believe Norment pushed legislation one way or another based on a relationship with a lobbyist. Nothing in Senate rules forbids a physical relationship with a lobbyist; neither do state ethics rules. Adultery, though, is a misdemeanor under Virginia law. During his career, Sen. John Watkins said he has heard of “maybe a dozen” relationships between legislators and lobbyists, staffers, or state agency officials. “From time to time, yeah, it happens – we’re all human beings,” said Watkins.

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.

Lobbying

“Comcast Recruits Its Beneficiaries to Lobby for Time Warner Deal” by Eric Lipton for New York Times

Florida: “Senate Push to Expand Lobbyist Registration to Special Districts like Broward Health” by Dan Christensen for FloridaBulldog.org

Florida: “Citizen Lobbyists Endure Bureaucracy at Florida’s Capitol as They Promote Their Causes” by Steve Bousquet (Tampa Bay Times) for Miami Herald

Oklahoma: “Stillwater Councilors Say Energy Lobbyists Gave Ultimatum on Drilling-Ordinance Vote” by Ziva Branstetter for Tulsa World

Virginia: “Norment Won’t Discuss Lobbyist Relationship” by Travis Fain for The Daily Press

Campaign Finance

“The Secret Lives of Hillary and Bill in the White House” by Kate Anderson-Brower for Politico

“This Conservative Group is Tired of Being Accused of Climate Denial – and Is Fighting Back” by Tom Hamburger, Joby Warrick, and Chris Mooney for Washington Post

Arizona: “Arizona Clean Elections Law Lives On” by The Associated Press for Arizona Republic

California: “California Lawmakers’ Campaign Debt Piled High in 2014” by Jim Miller for Sacramento Bee

California: “Former South Bay Supervisor George Shirakawa Avoids Jail Time” by Henry Lee for San Francisco Chronicle

New York: “Ethics Laws Take Aim at Club Dues” by Matthew Hamilton for Albany Times Union

Elections

“Rand Paul Says ‘I Am Running for President’” by Jeremy Peters and Alan Rappeport for New York Times

Lobbying

“Last-minute lobbying threatens $200B Medicare package” by Sarah Ferris in The Hill.

Illinois: “Chicago Elections Chief Got Lobbying Contracts from Rahm Emanuel’s Administration” by Matthew Cunningham-Cook and David Sirota in International Business Times.

Campaign Finance

“Gary Hart: Billion-dollar Clinton campaign should ‘frighten’ Americans” by Johnathan Topaz in Politico.

“Rand Paul accepting bitcoins for 2016 bid” by Mario Trujillo in The Hill.

“To Get Ahead in Congress: Skip Governing, Raise Money” by Trevor Potter and Meredith McGehee in Politico.

Florida: “Florida’s fundraising explosion” by Anna Palmer and Marc Caputo in Politico.

Michigan: “Between PACs and standard contributions, state politicians reap loads of cash” by Brian Paynter in The Daily Telegram.

Ohio: “Some Cuyahoga County mayors accept campaign contributions from employees” by Bob Sandrick in the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Rhode Island: “R.I. owed $2.2 million in fines for unfiled campaign finance reports” by Jennifer McDermott in the Providence Journal.

Ethics

Nevada: “Bill banning gifts from lobbyists moves forward” by Sandra Chereb in the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Elections

Illinois: “Dates proposed for special elections to replace Aaron Schock” by The Associated Press in the Chicago Sun Times.

Government Tech and Social Media

“Booker, McCaskill Beg Higher-Ups for Updated Senate Tech” by Jack Moore in Nextgov.

Lobbying

“Trucking and Rail Industries Turn State Troopers into Unwitting Lobbyists” by Eric Lipton for New York Times

Florida: “In Sunshine State, Big Energy Blocks Solar Power” by Eric Barton for Florida Center for Investigative Reporting

Missouri: “Missouri House Passes Lobbyist Gift Cap, Cooling Off Period” by Jason Hancock for Kansas City Star

New York “Cuomo Expands Lobbying Oversight to Localities” by Jimmy Vielkind for Capital New York

Tennessee: “Ethics Body Undecided on NRA Giving Lawmakers Free Tickets” by Dave Boucher for The Tennessean

Texas: “Questions about Aide to Texas Ag Commissioner Miller” by Eric Dexheimer (Austin American-Statesman) for Ft. Worth Star-Telegram

Campaign Finance

“Campaign Finance Complaints Filed Against 4 Presidential Hopefuls” by Eric Lichtblau for New York Times

“Menendez Indictment Marks First Big Corruption Case Involving a Super PAC” by Matea Gold for Washington Post

Maine: “Lawmakers Consider Clean Election Changes after PAC Drama” by Scott Thistle (The Sun Journal) for Bangor Daily News

Vermont: “Court Hands RGA $40,000 in Fines for 2010 Campaign Finance Violations” by Morgan True for VTDigger.org

Ethics

“Tribe’s Infighting Offers Glimpse into Redskins Foundation’s Tactics” by John Woodrow Cox for Washington Post

“Watchdog for Federal Secrecy Has Yet to Bite” by Julian Hattem and Megan Wilson for The Hill

Arkansas: “Panel Backs Window for Gift Return” by Michael Wickline for Arkansas Online

Elections

“The Mobile Election: How smartphones will change the 2016 presidential race” by Dylan Byers for Politico

Lobbying

“Lobbyists-Turned-Staffers Disclose Salaries, Clients” by Kate Ackley for Roll Call

Massachusetts: “State Data: Top 7 Massachusetts lobbying firms earned over $3 million each during 2013-2014 session” by Andy Metzger (State House News Service) for MassLive.com

Utah: “Mormon Church Lobbying in Utah’s Capitol – Hardball or Light Touch?” by Lee Davidson for Salt Lake Tribune

Campaign Finance

“The Political Kingmaker Nobody Knows” by Ben Wieder for Center for Public Integrity

Arkansas: “Bill Mandating Financial Filings Digitally Crashes” by Claudia Lauer for Arkansas Online

North Dakota: “Dems Want Review of Foreign Campaign Contribution Law: Lawmaker reported $2,000 from Canadian” by John Hageman for Dickinson Press

Texas: “Ethics Bills Draw Ire of Conservative Activists’ Lawyers” by Patrick Svitek for Texas Tribune

Ethics

Connecticut: “Lawmakers to Consider Preventing Convicted Politicians from Running Again” by Jordan Fenster for CTNewsJunkie.com

Virginia: “McAuliffe Vows to Amend Ethics Bills to Close Loopholes” by Laura Vozzella and Tom Jackman for Washington Post

Legislative Issues

“Sen. Harry Reid’s Retirement Poses Challenge for Democratic Unity” by Lisa Mascaro, Michael Memoli, and Mark Barabak for Los Angeles Times

Lobbying

“Buying Government with Lobbying Money” by Mike Collins in Forbes

“Ed Whitfield’s Ties to Lobbyist Wife Subject of House Ethics Probe” by Hannah Hess in Roll Call

“Reid leaving network of lobbyists behind” by Megan R. Wilson in The Hill

Minnesota: “Leap from legislator to lobbyist a short one in Minnesota” by Rachel E. Stassen-Berger and Dan Bauman in the Pioneer Press

Minnesota: “Legislators to lobbyists: A database of their clients and cash” by Dan Bauman in the Pioneer Press

Campaign Finance

“How potential presidential candidates are raising campaign cash” by Reena Flores on CBS News

“Are women giving enough money to political campaigns?” by Stefanie Murray in The Tennessean

Colorado: “Campaign finance rules get overhaul” by Anthony A. Mestas in The Pueblo Chieftain

Montana: “House passes bill to toughen campaign finance laws” in The Montana Standard

Ohio: “Campaign finance fines rarely collected, often reduced” by Amanda Seitz in the Dayton Daily News

Utah: “Utah cities can adopt stricter campaign finance rules” by The Associated Press in KSL.com

Ethics

New York: “Deal Is Reached on New York State Budget; Ethics Measures Are Included” by Thomas Kaplan in The New York Times

Texas: “Analysis: Trying to Spark Ethics Reform, Without a Scandal” by Ross Ramsey in The Texas Tribune

Elections

“Why Some Lawmakers Want to Abolish the 17th Amendment” by Alan Greenblatt in Governing

Government Tech and Social Media

Utah: “In Utah, Participatory Democracy Powered by Loomio and NationBuilder” by Jessica McKenzie in TechPresident

The Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission held a day-long meeting on March 26 to consider rule changes and to conclude ethics complaints. The proposed rule changes are to aid in the implementation of ethics reforms passed nearly two years ago.

The new lobbyist gift law sets a $75 limit on some gifts, exempts other gifts, and completely prohibits any gift not otherwise limited or exempted. Lobbyists, public officials, and the public still have questions about how the limits are supposed to be followed.

The commission approved a rule to regulate lobbyist gifts to family members of public officials, but tabled rules about how often a lobbyist can give a $75 gift and whether multiple lobbyists can split the cost of a gift valued at more than $75.

The commission closed about two dozen ethics complaints, with another 220 cases yet to be decided. The next commission meeting is scheduled for June 25, 2015.

Elizabeth Bartz, president and CEO of State and Federal Communications, will be a featured panelist in a session called “Procurement Lobbying and Legislation that Impacts Procurement” at the 2015 NASPO How to Market to State Governments Meeting.

The conference, which will be held in Philadelphia, PA, runs from March 29-31.

State and Federal Communications is proud to be a Bronze Sponsor of this national forum!

Akron, Ohio, 2015—For the seventh time, State and Federal Communications, Inc., under the leadership of President and CEO Elizabeth Z. Bartz, has been selected as one of the top 30 women-owned businesses in Ohio, and is the only company recognized in the city of Akron.

The “Top Businesses in America” program award from DiversityBusiness.com, a web-based publisher and business site, selected the Akron Company due to its overall leadership and economic achievements, ranking it as #17 in women-owned business and #37 in diversity-owned businesses in Ohio.

This is a considerable accomplishment given the current business climate in Ohio. The state currently ranks 46^th in the country in combined economic clout for women-owned companies – a measurement averaging the rankings in growth in number according to the State of Women-Owned Businesses report, sponsored by American Express OPEN.

Bartz recognizes the trend and sees this award as an opportunity. “As a successful small business owner and a woman, I believe it is important to be an example to other women, to demonstrate to the community what women can achieve and the impact we can have.”

Bartz says hard work in both business and community, is how rising above the trend is possible. She has witnessed disparity firsthand throughout her professional career, and uses these experiences as a motivator to grow not only her company and mentor her staff, but to also mentor other women and interns in the community. State and Federal Communications’ Intern Program is second to none in giving students experience working in the community, at the office, and providing solid compensation for the work performed.

Bartz believes the best advice she can give to other women is to encourage them to take on leadership roles and immerse themselves in the community. United Way of Summit County, Go Red for Women, Boys and Girls Clubs of the Western Reserve, Susan G. Komen – Race for a Cure, the WKSU/Kent State University Foundation, and the Akron Urban League’s Speakers Series Platinum sponsorship only begin to chronicle the array of local organizations Bartz and her company support. She serves in a leadership role on multiple local and national boards, including Kent State University’s National Alumni Association Board, the State Government Affairs Council (SGAC), National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Foundation, Council of State Governments (CSG), Public Affairs Council, and the Council on Governmental Ethics Laws (COGEL).

“Keep growing and keep leading. This is how we create a trend in Ohio,” said Bartz, who also encourages her staff to get involved. “My staff gets all the credit for our achievements, but their dedication to the company is surpassed by their dedication to the community.”

This month, State and Federal Communications will also receive the NEO Success Award. This program annually recognizes the top-performing companies in Northeast Ohio and reflects the determination to expand and revitalize its economic status. Bartz believes the demonstration of their core values sets the company apart from other similar small businesses and are the ingredients needed to shift the direction Ohio is heading with diversity in the workplace.

The “Top Businesses in America” program is sponsored by major brands, including Apple, AT&T, Wal-Mart, Coca-Cola, Office Depot, Toyota, Cisco, and Verizon. The program offers one of the nation’s most coveted awards. More than 3,000 award recipients have been honored since the program’s inception. Bartz and the company also won the award since 2007.

The states in which our presidents are historically attached aren’t necessarily the states where they were born. However, for this post, I wanted to review which states have produced a President of the United States by their home as an adult and where they ran for office.

In researching this subject, I found that some presidents are claimed by more than one state. Total number of states that can claim an elected president? Eighteen. FYI: All U.S. Presidents were born in America.

All information was found on History.com, Whitehouse.gov, Wikipedia.org, and Answers.com.

What lobbying activities are you involved in? Are you registered as a lobbyist? Could your activities trigger registration and reporting? What doesn’t require reporting in one state or municipality could easily require it in another and failure to do so could cause major problems for you and your company.

Come have lunch on us and sit down with State and Federal Communications before the start of the PAC National Conference to discuss government compliance and more.

As a special thank you, all attendees will receive a Starbucks gift card.

Check out our video for luncheon details and R.S.V.P. here!