October 26, 2011 •
State and Federal Communications
Coco Chanel said it best, “Imitation is the highest form of flattery.”
State and Federal Communications, and its predecessor State and Federal Associates, have been involved with lobbying compliance since 1976. You can imagine many others might try to duplicate our program but never have the resources or staff to implement the platinum type of service you currently receive from my highly trained in-house staff of 11 attorneys.
When I purchased my area of business from State and Federal Associates in 1993 and formed State and Federal Communications, Inc., we really were the only gig in town. As time goes on and as technology is easier, there are others—who have been clients or former employees—that feel a similar URL and a toll free number makes it easy to replicate. But don’t be fooled. There is only one true compliance company in Ohio and in this country and our reputation and our list of clients speak for themselves.
In government relations I have everyone down to two degrees of separation. In the case of competitors, it is only one because each has seen success and yearns for it. I don’t take it personally…it’s business. And, I assure you I take my business seriously and my relationship with my clients even more seriously. Your compliance needs have always been our absolute priority.
Thank you for the confidence you have in our services. We look forward to many, many more years together.
October 24, 2011 •
News You Can Use Digest – October 24, 2011
Here are highlights from the latest edition of News You Can Use:
National:
Deep Sea Burial Forms First Corporate ‘Super PAC’
Federal:
ACLU Challenge to Small Piece of Campaign Finance Law May Lead to a Slippery Slope
Judge Sends Abramoff Deputy to Halfway House
K Street Suffers from Twitter Jitters
From the States and Municipalities:
Alaska
APOC Busy as Redistricting Raises Legislators’ Questions
California
California’s Center for Governmental Studies to Close
California
San Jose Eases Campaign Limits, Focuses Economic Efforts
Florida
To Interview Mayor, Reporters Must Register as Lobbyists
Kentucky
Judge Bars Group’s Ads Supporting David Williams from Airing
Massachusetts
Lally, DiMasi Conspirator Who Cooperated with Prosecutors, Sentenced to 18 Months
Montana
Group Asks Judge to Toss Campaign Finance Ruling
Pennsylvania
Nutter, Green Unlikely Allies in Same-Sex Ethics Bill
Tennessee
Corporations Signing Up to Donate Under New State Law
Texas
State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 80 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.
News You Can Use is a news service provided at no charge only to clients of our online Executive Source Guides, or ALERTS™ consulting clients.
October 19, 2011 •
Elizabeth Bartz Attending CSG Meeting
CSG’s National Conference motto: “Listen. Learn. Lead. Join Us.”
Elizabeth Bartz, President and CEO of State and Federal Communications, is attending the Council of State Governments 2011 National Conference & North American Summit in Bellevue, Washington.
This year’s National Conference is being held from October 19-23 and for the first time will include representatives from Canada and Mexico.
Elizabeth Bartz was recently appointed to CSG’s Intergovernmental Affairs Committee for 2011/2012 term.
October 4, 2011 •
Planned Outage for Lobby Comply
On Thursday, October 6, Lobby Comply Blog will be down for about an hour.
The outage will occur in the afternoon while we make some upgrades.
Thank you for your patience. We appreciate our many readers!
October 3, 2011 •
News You Can Use Digest – October 3, 2011
Here are highlights from the latest edition of News You Can Use:
Federal:
Business Executives Call for End to Anonymous Cash
In Turn to Politics, Facebook Starts a PAC
Political Embezzlement Rises as U.S. Campaign Accounts Swell
Solyndra’s Lobbying Not Disclosed by Energy under Stimulus Guidelines
From the States and Municipalities:
Colorado
Campaign Finance Law Argued Before Colorado Supreme Court
Florida
After ‘Wild West,’ Palm Beach County Lobbyists Face New Rules
Indiana
Federal Judge Strikes Down Portion of Indiana ‘Robo-Call’ Ban
Maryland
State Senator’s Future Hangs in the Balance at Corruption Trial
Minnesota
Campaign Finance Board Releases Guidelines on Ballot Initiatives
Pennsylvania
Ex-Judge Gets 17 1/2 Years in Pa. Kickbacks Case
Rhode Island
Arrested Rhode Island Representative Won’t Resign, Will Run Again
Tennessee
Tennessee Lawmakers’ Ethics Panel Has Own Critics
State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 80 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.
News You Can Use is a news service provided at no charge only to clients of our online Executive Source Guides, or ALERTS™ consulting clients.
Jim Sedor is editor of News You Can Use.
September 28, 2011 •
E-X-P-A-N-D-I-N-G Our Online Guides
Dear Clients:
We are always looking to add value to our services. You may have noticed in the past three months we have added 36 new jurisdictions to our online website.
Now that we are starting the last quarter of the year, we are going to increase the amount of information in each section.
Executive Sourcebook on Lobbying Laws:
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We are separating the penalties so you will see what they are for registration, reporting, and gift violations.
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Does the jurisdiction have a document retention policy?
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Is gift splitting allowed?
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We are also separating the gift restrictions for lobbyists and non-lobbyists.
Executive’s Sourcebook on Political Contributions:
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What is the jurisdiction’s document retention policy?
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What restrictions are there on fundraising, as applied both to corporations attending a political event and as applied to corporations holding its own fundraiser?
Executive’s Sourcebook on Procurement Lobbying:
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Restrictions on pre-RFP communications between a bidder and the procurement department?
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Are there any post-RFP “cone of silence” restrictions?
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Difference between “bidder” and “contractor.”
It continues to be our goal to be your #1 online resource for lobbying, political contributions, and procurement lobbying.
Until next month, let your fingers do the walking at www.stateandfed.com and see the amount of information available to you and your organization.
Elizabeth Z. Bartz
President and CEO
September 26, 2011 •
News You Can Use Digest – September 26, 2011
Here are highlights from the latest edition of News You Can Use:
National:
Election Spending to Exceed $6 Billion Thanks Partly to Jim Bopp
Twitter to Launch Political Advertising
Federal:
K Street Cool to Obama Lobbying Plan
Watchdog Spotlights Lawmaker Ethics in ‘Most Corrupt’ Report
From the States and Municipalities:
Alabama
Former Governor Riley Gets Ethics Training He Pushed
California
California Pension Managers Fined for Unreported Gifts
Connecticut
‘Shock Jock’ Hal Turner Acquitted in Connecticut Threats Case
District of Columbia
Wells Drafts D.C. Bill to Limit Lobbyists’ Influence
Illinois
The Price of Influence in Chicago
Louisiana
Sugar Bowl in Violation of Tax Law with Purchases to Fundraiser
Missouri
T.D. El-Amin Gets Record Ethics Fine
Montana
Supreme Court Looks at Campaign Finance for Political Spending
Oklahoma
Oklahoma High Court Hears Former Senator’s Appeal
Pennsylvania
Wisconsin
Judge: Wisconsin campaign law is unconstitutional
State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 80 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.
News You Can Use is a news service provided at no charge only to clients of our online Executive Source Guides, or ALERTS™ consulting clients.
Jim Sedor is editor of News You Can Use.
September 22, 2011 •
Elizabeth Bartz Attending SGAC Board Meeting
Held in Cleveland, Ohio
Elizabeth Bartz, President and CEO of State and Federal Communications, is attending the State Government Affairs Council’s Board Meeting.
She was elected president of SGAC in August.
The meeting is being held from September 21-22.
September 19, 2011 •
News You Can Use Digest – September 19, 2011
Here are highlights from the latest edition of News You Can Use:
Federal:
New Rule Would Expand Tight Obama Lobbying Rules to All Federal Workers
‘Revolving Door’ of Employment between Congress, Lobbying Firms, Study Shows
Without Scandal, Lobby Reform Stalls
From the States and Municipalities:
Colorado
Gessler to Help Raise Cash to Pay off GOP Fine
Delaware
Kentucky
Gubernatorial Candidates Back ‘No Cup of Coffee’ Rule
Massachusetts
Disgraced DiMasi Is Given Eight Years
Montana
Conservative Groups File New Lawsuit over Montana Election Laws
New Jersey
Report: Serious flaws in N.J. ‘pay-to-play’ law
New York
Former Hospital Chief Convicted of Offering Bribes to Albany Legislators
North Carolina
Groups Seek to Overturn N.C. Campaign Spending Law
South Dakota
Ethics Rules for State Workers Weak, Critics Say
Texas
Anita Perry’s Salary Comes Indirectly from Governor’s Backers
State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 80 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.
News You Can Use is a news service provided at no charge only to clients of our online Executive Source Guides, or ALERTS™ consulting clients.
Jim Sedor is editor of News You Can Use.
September 16, 2011 •
We Are Attending PAC State and Local Relations Seminar
Also Sponsoring Networking Breakfast!
State and Federal Communications staff Jeff Roberts, Sarah Kovit, Zachary Hoying, and Ken Kelawae will be attending the Public Affairs Council’s State and Local Government Relations Seminar in Washington D.C. The seminar will be held September 18 – 20.
If you will also be there, be sure to say hello!
State and Federal Communications is also excited be sponsoring the Tuesday morning Networking Breakfast. “We are proud to assist the Public Affairs Council,” said Elizabeth Bartz, the company’s President and CEO.
September 6, 2011 •
News You Can Use Digest – September 6, 2011
Here are highlights from the latest edition of News You Can Use:
Federal:
Interest Groups Push Obama on Order
SEC Whetting Incentives for Whistle-Blowers
Super Committee Pits Lobbying Firms’ Clients against One Another
The Influence Industry: ‘Candidate super PACs’ surge ahead in the 2012 money race
From the States and Municipalities:
Connecticut
Guay to Head Unified Watchdog Group
Florida
New South Florida Politicians Go to ‘Good Government’ Boot Camp
Florida
Nonprofit Writes Florida Law for its Own Program
Georgia
Georgia Lobbyists Hope to Boost Ethics
Georgia
Montana
Schweitzer Fined $4,100 in Ethics Case
Nebraska
Donations OK’d for First Lady’s Expenses
Nebraska
State Not Enforcing Campaign Limits
North Carolina
Candidate Criticized for Scheduling Fundraiser at Lobbyist’s Home
Pennsylvania
Ex-Pa. House Speaker Pleads Guilty to Corruption
State and Federal Communications produces a weekly summary of national news, offering more than 80 articles per week focused on ethics, lobbying, and campaign finance.
News You Can Use is a news service provided at no charge only to clients of our online Executive Source Guides, or ALERTS™ consulting clients.
Jim Sedor is editor of News You Can Use.
August 24, 2011 •
Our Online Executive Source Guides
Our Online Executive Source Guides give you everything you need for your compliance work in one place!
State and Federal Communications is the most trusted source in the nation for comprehensive, accurate, and timely compliance information lobbying laws, political contributions, procurement lobbying, and Canadian Compliance for U.S. Companies.
Our Executive Source Guides cover every important jurisdiction – federal, all 50 states, and more than 200 municipalities. We cover Canada too!
August 22, 2011 •
En Route
Where you can find us this week:
Elizabeth Bartz, President and CEO of State and Federal Communications, will be attending the Public Affairs Council Consultant Member Meeting in Washington, D.C. on August 23, 2011.
August 19, 2011 •
We Cover New Jurisdictions
In a continuing effort to better serve the needs of its clients, State and Federal Communications, Inc. is expanding coverage of laws and regulations in more municipalities.
We now provide information on lobbying, political contributions, and procurement lobbying for:
Chandler, Arizona
Fort Collins, Colorado
New Haven, Connecticut
Stamford, Connecticut
Chesapeake, Virginia
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.
