ETHICS AND AWARDS.   POL.  “The president is not subject to the executive branch ethical standards, but all other White House staffers are. Ethics experts say that if the undertaking were carried out exclusively by political staff from the Trump campaign or the Republican National Committee — and not government employees in the White House — there would be no problem.”

CA:  LIFTING LID.   EBT.  “Taken off guard by the financial muscle of a political action committee that reshaped the City Council in the last election, Livermore is set to abolish any limit on how much money candidates can collect.”

KS:  TARDY REPORT.   HN.   “Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach filed his gubernatorial campaign finance report slightly late, the only prominent candidate for governor to miss the midnight Wednesday deadline.”

PA:  NINE SCHEMES.  MCC.  “When Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski’s trial gets underway, federal prosecutors will try to prove that the mayor and others participated in nine schemes to demand or accept campaign contributions or other things of value in exchange for city contracts, legal work or other official favors.”

TX:  CHANGE IN RULES DEBATED.   TM. “In the wake of a bribery scandal, Houston Community College trustees discussed last week the possibility of tightening their campaign finance rules, but it’s murky if there will be any changes.”

HAVE A GOOD DAY.