[Political Activity Law]

POKEMON GO.  CNN reports that political interest in Pokemon Go is exploding.  “The game exploded into near ubiquity over the past several days, leading lawmakers and others to try and get in on the attention.”  Pres. Obama’s 2008 campaign advertised in video games (story here) but I haven’t heard of any candidates this cycle using this or any other game platform.  Having not played Pokemon Go myself, I’m not sure the game allows for appropriate advertising opportunities.

BAYH EXPECTED TO RUN.  NYT.  “But in a year when political insiders have struggled, Mr. Bayh would also bring some baggage. Since leaving the Senate, he has been a partner at McGuireWoods, a Washington law firm that, through a subsidiary, also provides lobbying and advocacy services.”

SUPER PAC LEADER.  BD.  “Bangor City Councilor Joe Baldacci has been named the Maine chairman of the Keep America Great political action committee, which is aiming to raise $20 million through Election Day, according to the Christian Science Monitor.”

MN:  BOARD MEMBER APPOINTMENTS.   TC.  “Gov. Mark Dayton on Monday appointed Emma Greenman and Peggy Leppik to the state’s campaign finance watchdog board, an expected move after the Minnesota Senate’s lack of action forced the two women to step down.”

VA:  RULE STRUCK.  Richmond.com.  “A federal judge struck down an obscure element of Virginia’s presidential primary laws Monday, handing a symbolic victory to a Republican National Convention delegate who has refused to support Donald Trump.”

WV:  LEFTOVER FUNDS TO NEEDY?  WVG.  “Why not, just why not, on a strictly voluntary basis, each contributor earmark 10 percent of the contribution to a bona fide, needy, nonprofit organization to provide food, clothing and shelter for the less fortunate among us. This fund could be called The Political Needy Case Endowment Fund. Each donor’s name could be attached or shown as anonymous.”

CAN:  LIMIT TOO HIGH.  CTV.  “The former chief electoral officer told a committee looking at the Liberal government’s legislation to tighten fundraising rules that the proposed maximum annual contribution limit of $1,550 to a party is reasonable, but in an election year, people would be able to donate much more.”

HAVE A GOOD DAY.

CONVENTION CALCULATIONS.  Y.  “Donald Trump has promised to liven up this year’s Republican National Convention. But some of America’s biggest corporations are bailing on the party.”

STEERING CLEAR.  TS.  “More corporations are saying, ‘Thanks, but no thanks,’ on sponsoring the Republican National Convention.”

CONVENTION EVENT UPDATE.  WP.  “But for many lobbyists and political strategists in both parties — plus the leaders of think tanks, industry groups and Fortune 500 companies — party conventions are still must-go events that are simply part of the job. Many heading to the GOP event on July 18, as well as the Democratic convention in Philadelphia a week later, say it’s just good business to show up.”

SUPER PAC ANALYSIS.  LZ.  “In the super PAC era, though, Bush is easily the poster child for failure. An analysis last week by the Center for Responsive Politics concludes that there are too many moving parts in a campaign to affix blame for Bush’s defeat on Right to Rise. But it lays out in devastating detail that the super PAC was, at best, ineffectual.”

PARTY PATROL.  Politico.  “At this month’s conventions, watchdog group Public Citizen will reprise its ‘bird-dogging’ campaign, which in previous years, with help from the Sunlight Foundation, shut down a party and called attention to ethics violations.”

SUPER PAC VIDEO.  DB.  “A pro-Donald Trump super PAC—subtly titled Crippled America PAC—is trying its hardest to tie Hillary Clinton to the Ku Klux Klan.”

FRAUD INDICTMENT FOR MOC.  ABC.  “U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown of Florida and her chief of staff pleaded not guilty Friday to multiple fraud charges and other federal offenses in a grand jury indictment unsealed after an investigation into what prosecutors call a phony charity turned into a personal slush fund.”  The DOJ release is online here.

CO:  INITIATIVE CHALLENGED.  DP.  “A proposed Denver ballot initiative aimed at reining in big-donor campaign contributions and setting up a public financing system for city elections now faces a challenge in court.”

CO:  COMPLAINT DISMISSED.  C.  “A Denver administrative law judge has dismissed a complaint alleging campaign finance violations by Citizens for a Healthy Pueblo, an anti-marijuana group.”

DC:  PROBATION FOR SCHEME.  WP.  “A federal judge sentenced two associates of Washington businessman Jeffrey E. Thompson to one year of probation each on Friday for their roles in a long-running scheme in which Thompson pumped more than $3.3 million in illegal contributions to federal, state and District elections.”

NY:  TIMES HITS DEBLASIO.  NYT.  “The board all but accused City Hall of making a mockery of the city’s strict campaign-finance laws by soliciting big contributions from special interests for the organization, called the Campaign for One New York.”

WA:  SIGNATURES FILED.  ST.  “More than 326,000 signatures have been turned in to the Washington secretary of state’s office in support of a proposed ballot measure that would make a series of campaign-finance changes, including the creation of a publicly funded voucher system for contributions.”

HAVE A GOOD DAY.

AYOTTE CRITICISM.  WMUR.  “Ayotte’s campaign said it was returning $8,000 in campaign donations from the political action committee of Bridgepoint Education. It said it returned the donations after learning last week that the company was under investigation.”

LOBBYING CAMPAIGN ISSUE.  STL.  “Roy Blunt is being challenged by Democratic Secretary of State Jason Kander, who has tried to make lobbying by Andy Blunt and other members of the senator’s family — including his wife, Abigail, and another son, former Gov. Matt Blunt — an example of what Kander says is an entrenched career politician.”

CA:  COORDINATION MATTER.  LAT.  “Claims of campaign law violations are already flying in the closely watched rematch between Assemblyman David Hadley (R-Manhattan Beach) and Democrat Al Muratsuchi in coastal Los Angeles County Assembly District 66.”

KY:  BEVIN CHALLENGE.  CJ.  “The head of an organization that pushes for honesty in government said he has filed an ethics complaint against Gov. Matt Bevin after his executive order that will give the governor authority to appoint all members of the Executive Branch Ethics Commission.”

OR:  CROWDED BALLOT.  OR.  “The ‘Honest Elections Charter Amendment’ would ban candidates from accepting donations larger than $500 from individuals”

HAVE A GOOD DAY.