FCPA: DIMON IN THE NEWS. NYT. “While the hiring of employees connected to private enterprises would not typically violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which requires the involvement of a government official in a bribe, authorities are exploring whether state-owned Chinese companies indirectly owned some of the private enterprises, according to people briefed on the case. If the private companies are effectively arms of the government, then the federal law could apply.”
GROUPS OPPOSE BIll. The Hill. “Almost a dozen campaign finance reform groups are urging lawmakers to oppose a bill that would delay new rules for tax-exempt groups proposed in the wake of last year’s IRS targeting controversy.”
AZ: HORNE CASE HEARD. Sacramento Bee. “A prosecutor says evidence will show that Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne was in constant communication with an aide who was running an independent group backing him in the 2010 election, and she passed on his suggestions about campaign ads attacking his Democratic rival to her campaign consultant.”
CA: FACING A PENALTY. LAT. “A San Fernando Valley businessman who admitted to illegally reimbursing campaign contributors during the 2011 municipal election faces a $45,000 fine from the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission.”
CA: SLOAT SPEAKS. LA Times. “In an agreement released Monday by the state Fair Political Practices Commission, Sloat admitted that he and his firm made improper, nonmonetary campaign contributions to elected officials by providing expensive wine, liquor and cigars at their fundraisers at Sloat’s home.”
IL: DONATIONS IN THE NEWS. Chicago Tribune. “As Mayor Rahm Emanuel piles up campaign cash ahead of his run for re-election next year, he continues to collect contributions from real estate developers who need his administration’s approval to build their multimillion-dollar projects.”
LA: SUPER PAC FIGHT. The Advocate. “The organizer of a super PAC formed to support U.S. Sen. David Vitter argues that it should not be subject to Louisiana campaign contribution limits because it is operating independent of Vitter.”
RI: LET’S MAKE A DEAL. SF Gate. “Representatives for three Democratic candidates for Rhode Island governor have met to discuss proposals to keep super PAC spending out of the race.”
VT: TRYING TO FIX. BurlingtonFreePress.com. “Vermont lawmakers are planning to take up what’s being called a technical corrections bill to fix a mistake in a recently passed campaign finance law. But some legislators who were unhappy with the law passed last month say they may push for bigger changes.”
AUSTRALIA: CRIKEY: WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM NYC. Here. “New York City is hardly a byword for efficient and clean governance. So it is eye-opening to find a public service here that is at once reliable, democratic, and an international pace-setter.”
HAVE A GREAT DAY.