[Political Activity Law]

LEFTOVER FUNDS USED.   CNN.  “When Mick Mulvaney left Congress to join President Donald Trump’s Cabinet in early 2017, he kept his re-election bank account alive and has spent more than $50,000 from it since, including donations to several Republican lawmakers the White House was lobbying.”

FACING NEW RULES.    BB.  “Political ad buyers on Facebook Inc., Alphabet Inc.’s Google and other online platforms could face stricter disclosure requirements after the Federal Election Commission voted unanimously to move ahead on new rules for the internet.”

DC:  PUBLIC FINANCING SIGNED.   WAMU.  “In a turnaround that caught many by surprise, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on Tuesday signed a bill creating a public financing program for local campaigns — and said she would fund it in her upcoming budget.”

NC:  APPOINTMENTS TO BE MADE.    PP.  “Gov. Roy Cooper will make appointments to the State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement this week while litigation over lawmakers’ structure of the board is pending.”

OR:  CONTROLLING THE SYSTEM.   PM.  “Under an ordinance that Portland City Council passed in an unexpected maneuver on March 8, the system–which will give money to future candidates for city commissioner–is now under the direct control of a sitting city commissioner.”

TN:  COMPLAINTS DISMISSED.   USN.  “A Tennessee panel has dismissed two campaign finance complaints against Republican U.S. Rep. Diane Black in her gubernatorial bid.”

HAVE A GOOD DAY. 

CA:  FINE AGREED TO.   LAT.  “Assemblywoman Shirley Weber (D-San Diego) has agreed to pay $4,000 in fines to the state’s campaign watchdog agency for failing to properly disclose contributions made and received by her 2014 campaign for the Legislature, according to documents released Monday.”

MD:  MATCHING FUNDS UPDATE.   BM.  “A provision in Montgomery County’s new public campaign financing system has caused several at-large County Council candidates to be ruled ineligible to receive matching county funds based on the small-dollar contributions they’ve received.”

NY:  REFORMS PROPOSED.   LG.  “The New York State Senate Democratic Conference is sponsoring eight bills they say will bring about stronger campaign finance regulations.”

NY:  ALLEGED PERSONAL USE.   NYP.  “A Westchester mayor swiped tens of thousands of dollars from his campaign war chest to pay for a slew of personal expenses, including car payments, a $2,000 Chanel purse and a $114 meal at Bubba Gump Shrimp, authorities charged Monday.”

PA:  ETHICS REFORM.   PPG.  “Under a proposal put forth Monday by Gov. Tom Wolf, public officials would be subject to a gift ban, new campaign finance limits would be enacted, lawmakers would need to provide receipts for reimbursements, and top state officials wouldn’t be paid until a complete budget is passed every year.”

HAVE A GOOD DAY. 

SLOW GOING.  CNS.  “Attorneys for the Republican party on Tuesday sought to convince an 11th Circuit panel Securities and Exchange Commission rules limiting political contributions from member firms is an unconstitutional violation of free speech rights.”

DINNER AND CONCERNS.   WE.  “President Trump is reportedly dining with top political supporters at a private residence Wednesday night, and the move is raising concerns about campaign finance impropriety.”

AL:  DEFINITION TWEAK.   APR.  “The director of the state Ethics Commission says a bill before Alabama lawmakers could weaken ethics enforcement in the state.”

AZ:  HORNE ON REFORM.   AZC.  “Tom Horne, the former Attorney General and Superintendent for Public Instruction, spent the better part of the last decade dogged by accusations of campaign shenanigans.”

CA:  TICKET HELP.   LAT.  “Under state law, a gift does not count as a gift if the politician reimburses the giver within 30 days of receiving it. But Wesson paid the theater back only months later, with two checks in December and January, according to his office.”

MI:  PARTY FINED.   WZZM.  “The Michigan Democratic Party was fined $8,600 by the Federal Election Commission last month as a result of excessive contributions and sloppy record keeping during the 2015-16 election cycle.”

OH:  DISMISSAL SOUGHT.   DIS.  “Ohio Supreme Court Justice Patrick DeWine is seeking the dismissal of a judicial ethics charge alleging he improperly used the influence of his office in asking a county prosecutor to hire his son for a summer job.”

HAVE A GOOD DAY.