Tues. political law links

ALL NEW NAME.  DigiNews.  “The American League of Lobbyists has decided to call itself the ‘Association of Government Relations Professionals.'”

KOCH LOOKING.  FCPA Blog.  “As audit manager, you will be able to lead and perform commercial compliance and financial assurance activities…”

SUPER PAC PIECE.  DC.  “A super PAC supporting the re-election of Mississippi incumbent Thad Cochran is hitting the senator’s Republican primary opponent for being similar to Todd Akin — the Republican from Missouri who lost his Senate race in 2010 after his infamous ‘legitimate rape’ comment.”

ROAD TO NEW CHALLENGES. Baran and Gedge. “More broadly, McCutcheon is also significant because it reaffirms that state-level experience can bear on the validity of federal campaign finance laws under the First Amendment.”

IL:  COOK COUNTY RULES.  Chicago Tribune.  “Cook County’s chief watchdog wants to tighten up lobbying rules after finding that ‘rogue lobbyists’ are ignoring requirements to register or report their activities.”

MA:  I WASN’T A LOBBYIST.  WWLP.  “Warren Tolman, a Watertown Democrat and candidate for attorney general, for years has been incorrectly described as a lobbyist in paperwork filed by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1199, according to the Tolman campaign and the union.”

MN:  LAW BLOCKED.  Minnpost.com.  “United States District Judge Donovan Frank ruled a group of plaintiffs challenging Minnesota’s ban on large-dollar donations from so-called ‘special sources’ has a ‘substantial likelihood of success on the merits of their claim,’ and ruled Minnesota can’t enforce the law as the case works through the judicial system.”

NJ:  PAY TO PLAY QUESTION.  NJ.com.  “Should government contractors banned by local pay-to-play laws from directly making major contributions to New Jersey and local politicians be allowed to donate to federal political action committees that give to Garden State candidates?”

OK:  BILLS SIGNED.  KSWO.  “Gov. Mary Fallin has signed four bills into law, including three measures that target the state’s campaign finance laws.”

INDIA:  MODI MONEY.  FT.  “It may never really be known how much money Mr Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party spent on the dazzling, high-tech campaign to persuade millions of voters that he was the man to lead India out of its current economic and governmental malaise.”

HAVE A GOOD DAY.

Mon. political law links

REID REFORMS.  WSJ.  “Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) took to the Senate floor to call for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to limit the flow of outside money into political campaigns.”

RETHINK REFORM OP-EDS.  NYT.  “First is a $50 tax credit per donor per election cycle. Second is a voluntary matching fund system. People who donate up to $150 to a candidate who has agreed to lower contribution limits and the full disclosure of all donations will have that donation matched 6 to 1 with federal funds. If the candidate agrees to take no contributions higher than $150, the match rises to 9 to 1. And finally, it allows candidates to raise additional matching funds in the last 60 days of the election if the candidate feels he needs it to ward off a last-minute advertising blitz. (The bill has disincentives to keep that additional money from being used unless it is really needed.)”

CHECKS ISSUE.  NBC.  “Campaign finance reports filed by former Rhode Island House Speaker Gordon Fox show a number of expense checks unaccounted for, including 23 last year, according to an analysis by The Associated Press conducted as federal authorities are looking at Fox’s campaign finance history.”

CA: BROWN SIGNS LAW. Sacramento Bee. “Nonprofit organizations that make political contributions in California will have to disclose more information about the source of their money under a law Gov. Jerry Brown signed Wednesday.”

GA:  GIVEAWAY.  Peach Pundit.  “The Speaker’s race for reelection has certainly got some press over here at Peach Pundit the last couple of weeks. From the less than honest attack ads, to the lack of decorum and Southern courtesy, Col. Poole’s response, and a now a questionable giveaway, this race has been full of twists and turns.”

IL:  LAVIN LANDS.  NWTimes.com.  “Under the law, certain state employees or former state workers cannot accept employment or compensation from a non-state employer if the worker, in the past year, made regulatory or licensing decisions or awarded contracts affecting the non-state employer.”

MN:  REFORM PROSPECTS.  MinnPost.com.  “Legislative efforts to toughen reporting requirements for Minnesota campaign spending are floundering this year — despite an aggressive push after two U.S. Supreme Court rulings allowing major money to influence elections.”

MT:  REMINDER.  Missoulian.  “As the June 3 primary election draws near and printed material from outside groups starts showing up in voters’ mailboxes across Montana, state Political Practices Commissioner Jonathan Motl is advising these groups and candidates in advance of the rules.”

MT:  SENATOR CLAIMS.  Montana Standard.  “A Republican Senate leader claims in recently filed court documents that Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, the commissioner of political practices and two others conspired to remove him from office by accusing him of breaking campaign laws.”

NY:  PUBLIC FINANCING DISPUTE.  WSJ.  “Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob Astorino on Thursday lambasted a new measure allowing some political candidates to use public funds for their campaigns.”

TX:  FINES ON REPORTS.  News-Sentinel.  “The Allen County Election Board Friday fined 11 candidates in the May 6 primary – including seven currently holding office – for filing campaign-finance reports after the noon April 21 deadline.”

HAVE A GOOD DAY.

Thurs. political law links, 5-15-14

PAY TO PLAY AND MSRB UPDATE.  Steptoe.  “While regulators will seek to adjust in a post-McCutcheon world, counsel for targeted entities – in this case those entities that may do business with or advise municipalities – must first determine whether they meet the definition of ‘municipal advisor’ as set out by the SEC.”

SUPER PAC CROWDFUNDING.  The Verge.  “MayOne, the crowdfunded super PAC that is supposed to fight big money in politics by raising big money in politics, has reached its initial goal of $1 million 18 days before the deadline.”

SUPER PAC GLUT.  CNN.  “Right now, there are at least eight pro-Clinton super PACs registered with the Federal Election Commission.”

AZ:  CASE REINSTATED.  AZstarnet.com.  “Concluding some testimony to a hearing officer was ‘not credible,’ Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk decided today to pursue Attorney General Tom Horne on charges he illegally coordinated his 2010 election campaign with an independent committee.”

MN:  CFR SUPPORT.  Star Tribune.  “The National Rifle Association and Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life thus far have blocked a House vote on a bill that would require entities, including them, to reveal their largest donors when they engage in independent election-related spending — that is, spending other than direct donations to candidates.”

NY:  LOBBYING LAW AND CASINOS.  CapitalNewYork.com.  “Casino bidders are required to secure the approval of the community, either through a referendum or a governmental resolution, before they can apply for the license to build a casino, but a loophole in the lobbying law does not require entities lobbying towns or villages with populations fewer than 50,000 people to disclose their spending.”

VT:  WHAT ARE THE LIMITS?  Brattleboro Reformer.  “Campaign finance limits will not change in the 2014 election cycle, according to a legal opinion from Vermont Attorney General Bill Sorrell.”

WI:  CAMPAIGN FINANCE RULES LIKE TITANIC AFTER HITTING THE ICEBERG.  Green Bay Press Gazette.  “A federal appeals court on Wednesday declared key aspects of Wisconsin’s campaign finance laws unconstitutional, including a ban on spending by corporations.”

WI:  LAW WENT TOO FAR.  Chanel3000.com.  “The 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals said Wednesday that rules regulating the speech of outside groups that do not expressly advocate for or against the election of candidates went too far. It also struck down a ban on political spending by companies and associations.”

HAVE A GOOD DAY.  I’ll send around the next set of links on Monday.  Have a great weekend.