DINNER RULES.  WP.  “Federal employees are not allowed to accept gifts, including meals, that are worth more than $20, according to the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch.”

ETHICS ORDER BRIEFING.   Venable.  “What are the practical effects for individuals going into the Administration, and for their former and future employers?”

DEBATE CASE.  BAN.  “On February 1, U.S. District Court Judge Tanya S. Chutkan issued a 28-page opinion in Level the Playing Field v Federal Election Commission, 1:15cv-1397, D.C. She ruled that the FEC clearly did not look at the evidence presented by the plaintiffs Peter Ackerman, the Libertarian Party, the Green Party, and Level the Playing Field.”

MS:  REFORM POTENTIAL.  CL.  “Campaign money is shielded from tax, ethics, bribery and other laws because it is ostensibly to be used for campaigning and records of it are supposed to be open to the public.”

MT:  COMMISSIONER CAN REMAIN.  GFT.  “The Montana Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that Commissioner of Political Practices Jonathan Motl’s term has expired, but he can remain in office until a successor is found.”

NV:  LOBBYIST GIFT BAN.  RJ.  “Under a bill sponsored in 2015 by Sen. Michael Roberson, legislators can no longer accept anything from a lobbyist. Even a cup of coffee or a bottle of water.”

TX:  ETHICS REFORM MOVING.  MS.  “After receiving a warm reception at a committee hearing Wednesday, state Sen. Van Taylor’s ethics reform proposal could be the first bill approved by the Texas Senate this year.”

AUSTRALIA:  UNTRACEABLE.  SMH.  “More than $70 million that flowed to the Liberal and Labor parties ahead of last year’s federal election – at least half of all the money they collected – is considered untraceable dark money.”

INDIA:  CONSIDERING BONDS.  Bloomberg.  “Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has proposed the creation of new ‘electoral bonds’ to clean up election financing in the world’s most populous democracy. ”

HAVE A GOOD DAY.