Fri. 3-28-14 political law links

REID GIFTS AND BEYOND.  RealClearPolitics.com.  “His granddaughter has also received financial support for her fledgling New York theater company from two Nevada-based foundations that typically prohibit donations to organizations outside of their service areas. The foundations belong to gaming and energy companies that have also donated to the lawmaker.”

CA:  YEE ACCUSED.  GamePolitics.com.  “As we reported earlier today, Leland Yee, author of the 2005 anti-video game law that was shot down by the Supreme Court in the landmark Brown v EMA decision, was arrested this morning on charges of bribery and corruption.”

CT:  CASE WILL BE HEARD.  AP.  “A state Superior Court judge has ruled against former state Sen. Ernest Newton II who asked for dismissal of charges of campaign finance irregularities.”

DE:  LOOKING AT REFORM.  AP.  “Republican lawmakers have introduced a series of bills aimed at strengthening Delaware’s campaign finance laws in response to recent investigations of improper contributions to Democratic Gov. Jack Markell and other elected officials.”

FL:  CHAIR EXITS.  Miami Herald.  “n a campaign shakeup, Gov. Rick Scott’s top fundraiser — billionaire healthcare CEO Mike Fernandez — abruptly quit his post late Thursday after weeks of behind-the-scenes disagreements.”

KS:  RAFFLE ISSUES.  Hutchinson News.  “The campaign acknowledged this week that the ‘inexact nature of the terms’ in its initial press release inviting people to donate to the campaign for a chance to win NCAA basketball tournament tickets resulted in something Kansas law prohibits, said a press release Thursday afternoon from Branson’s office in Lawrence.”

VA:  SEPARATE TRIALS SOUGHT.  WP.  “Former Virginia Governor Robert F. McDonnell and his wife want separate trials on the federal corruption charges they both are facing, saying in court filings late Tuesday that a joint proceeding would prevent Maureen McDonnell, in particular, from taking the witness stand to exonerate her husband.”

GOV. RAISES.  WP.  “A major Democratic fundraiser who played a role in a couple of Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s more colorful and controversial moments has stepped up to make the first big donation to the governor’s political action committee.”

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

Thurs. political law links

SUPER PAC ACCEPTANCE.  HuffPo.  “Like other super PACs, Ready for Hillary can trace its origins to the U.S. Supreme Court’s controversial Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision in 2010, which helped paved the way for political action committees to raise unlimited sums of money to call for the election or defeat of candidates.”

“NEW BUSINESS OF LOBBYING.”  Marketplace.org.  “More firms are taking what they call a ‘multidisciplinary approach’ to lobbying. Lobbyists work hand in hand with lawyers, and some firms hire strategic communications consultants.”

FL:  BECKHAM CLEARED.  Miami Herald.  “An ethics inquiry into David Beckham’s stadium campaign has cleared the soccer star of violating local lobbying rules.”

NY:  CUOMO AND CFR.  Newsday.  “Good-government groups, pressing lawmakers to back publicly financed political campaigns, issued a report Tuesday saying Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo was the biggest beneficiary of the state’s weak campaign-contribution regulations.”

MA:  IRONWORKERS PAY.  Valley Patriot.  “The Ironworkers Union Local 7 PAC has made a $20,000 payment to the state’s general fund to resolve several campaign finance violations, including the failure to disclose more than $124,000 in contributions from 2011 to 2013, according to a disposition agreement between OCPF and the PAC.”

MT:  MOTL RESOLUTION.  Billings Gazette.  “On more specific topics, Republican Debby Barrett, R-Dillon, requested a []resolution to not confirm Jonathan Motl as commissioner of political practices. (Gov. Steve Bullock appointed Motl to the office, and he will need state Senate confirmation in 2015 to stay in office.)”

NC:  MAYOR ARRESTED.  Fox.  “The mayor of Charlotte, N.C. — the state’s largest city and the site of the 2012 Democratic National Convention — was arrested Wednesday on public corruption charges and accused of taking bribes after an FBI sting. ”

HAVE A GREAT DAY.

Wed. political law links

MULLIN ETHICS DEVELOPMENTS.  WP.  “Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) may have violated House ethics rules and federal laws by earning outside income beyond permissible levels last year, according to a new congressional watchdog report released Monday.”

NO SPECIAL PANEL.  POLITICO.  “The House Ethics Committee will not appoint a special investigative panel to look into allegations that Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) improperly used official funds in a Republican leadership race and to cover campaign-related activities.”

REID REIMBURSES.  Ralston Reports.  “Reid’s granddaughter is listed only as ‘Ryan Elisabeth’ on the FEC report … But her full name is Ryan Elisabeth Reid.”

NY:  CFR NOT RULED OUT.  CapitalNewYork.com.  “Legislative leaders emerged optimistically from a closed-door budget negotiation on Tuesday, with the only Republican in the room raising hopes that he might agree to a system of public campaign finance in the overall spending plan.”

NY:  COX ON CFB.  WSJ.  “Good government groups and campaign-finance reform advocates should take note: New York City’s system of publicly financed campaigns is arbitrary and undemocratic—a spot-on example of new progressivism.”

OR:  STATE’S LARGEST DONOR.  The Observer.  “Loren Parks, the largest campaign donor in Oregon history, reached into his pocketbook again last week.”

PA:  CFR PLUS?  Keystone Politics.  “Who will be the first to step forward for real campaign finance reform?”

HAVE A GREAT DAY.