RUSSIA BANK HIRE.  DC.  “Democrat super-lobbyist Tony Podesta was paid $170,000 over a six-month period last year to represent Sberbank, Russia’s largest bank, seeking to end one of the Obama administration’s economic sanctions against that country, The Daily Caller News Foundation’s Investigative Group has learned.”

ETHICS LAWS.  AJC.  “Atlanta attorney Stefan Passantino’s letter regarding Kellyanne Conway’s televised plug for Ivanka Trump’s line of clothing and jewelry is drawing some attention, in part because of a claim that the president’s inner circle may not have to abide by all federal ethics laws.”

CA:  PAY TO PLAY ALLEGED.  CWL.  “Yes on Measure S today releases a special report of official city information that has been released publicly, but unpublished to date. It reveals how LA City Hall works behind closed doors, on behalf of developers and usually without the knowledge of the public, to get around an area’s zoning rules.”

CO:  NEW RULES APPROVED.  DP.  “Long-sought changes to the Denver ethics code won approval from the City Council on Monday, making way for a firm dollar limit on the acceptance of some meals and event tickets.”

GA:  BILL DIES.  11A.  “The effort to make Georgia’s government a little more transparent is not doing well at the Capitol this legislative session.  Many of the bills designed to lend transparency and avoid conflicts of interest died on crossover day.”

KY:  HEADING TO HOUSE.  MC2.  ” Legislation increasing the contributions into political campaigns and political party’s cleared a House committee down party lines on Monday.”

NY:  ETHICS BOARD.  ND.  “Take the Town of Oyster Bay, which recently appointed a new five-member ethics board as part of what new Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino called ‘sweeping reforms’ after a new ethics code was adopted last year.”

HAVE A GOOD DAY.