11.30 political law links

COGEL 2017.   Next week’s COGEL in Toronto is filled with interesting sessions, as usual.  The full schedule is here.  I’m afraid I couldn’t attend this year, but I’ll be following @CogelInfo for updates!

CHALLENGE REJECTED.   JUR.  “Ultimately the court upheld the per-election structure for setting contribution ceilings.”

FUNDRAISING QUESTIONED.    DC.  “A shady Republican political action committee (PAC) is asking supporters of Fox News host Laura Ingraham for money to help support her 2018 run for Senate.”

“DARK MONEY” LOVE.   NYP.  “So who’s funding this extraordinary legal battle with the White House? English’s lead attorney, Deepak Gupta, refuses to say.”

AZ:  DISCLOSURE INITIATIVE.  USN.  “A new initiative effort was launched Wednesday seeking to require the disclosure of the source of all political donations in Arizona over $2,500, even if they are funneled through so-called ‘dark money’ groups.”

CO:  LOBBYIST REPORTING.   KUNC.  “Because several of the lobbyists work for law firms, the lobbyists are paid by the firm, not from specific clients. According to the Secretary of State’s office, that means they don’t necessarily have to report income from specific clients.”

CT:  MAYOR SETBACK.   HC.  “A federal judge threw cold water on Bridgeport Mayor Joseph P. Ganim’s gubernatorial aspirations Wednesday, dismissing his challenge to a state law that prevents him, as a politician convicted of corruption while in office, of obtaining public campaign financing.”

FL:  COMMISSIONER CLEARED.   SS.  “A Pompano Beach city commissioner’s campaign finance practices might have been careless and negligent, but it was not criminal, the Broward State Attorney’s Office ruled this week.”

HAVE A GOOD DAY.

11.29 political law links

CHALLENGE REJECTED. JAX. “In a case brought by a Florida couple, a federal appeals court Tuesday rejected a challenge to a campaign-finance law that places limits on contributions in primary and general elections.” IFS has the opinion and more here.

PROTECT SPEECH PLEA. EFF. “As Congress and the Federal Elections Commission explore ways to counter foreign influence in U.S. elections through greater campaign finance disclosures, EFF has filed comments reminding policy makers of the danger of going too far.”

CT: FINANCING FIGHT. COU. “Bridgeport Mayor Joseph P. Ganim, who served nearly seven years in prison on federal corruption charges, will appear before a federal judge Wednesday in an effort to overturn a state law that bars anyone guilty of a public corruption felony from getting public campaign financing.”

ID: BILL TO REVISE. IDE. “Idaho lawmakers are slated to reconvene in Boise in January, and they’ll hear a proposal to increase the state’s disclosure requirements for political candidates.”

NM: CAN USE FUNDS. NMPR. “A federal judge said U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce can use money raised for federal office in his campaign for governor, giving his campaign a big boost.”

HAVE A GOOD DAY.

11.28 political law links

LAW EXPLOITATION. HILL. “Washington’s foreign agents are able to operate in a legal gray zone thanks to ambiguities in the law and less-than-stringent enforcement.”

APPLAUSE FOR RULES. BBR. “Congressman Derek Kilmer is praising the commissioners of the Federal Election Commission for their unanimous vote to start a process that could lead to changing the disclosure rules that regulate online political advertising.”

CA: NO VIOLATION. DI. “The California Fair Political Practices Commission has decided not to pursue any action against Mayor Peggy Breeden, citing insufficient evidence to support a finding of a violation of the political reform act in her vote to withdraw the city from the Property Assessed Clean Energy Program.”

ID: WORKING GROUP CONVENES. SR. “A bipartisan working group of Idaho lawmakers has convened at the state Capitol this morning to continue working on proposed changes in the state’s Sunshine Law to require more frequent and more detailed campaign finance disclosures, including adding new reporting in local races and requiring information about who’s behind shadowy outside groups that run independent expenditure campaigns in the state.”

ID: FEE SAME. SR. “Idaho’s $10 fee to register as a lobbyist came in for scrutiny by lawmakers today, after Senate Minority Leader Michelle Stennett, D-Ketchum, asked how long it had been since the fee had been raised.”

OR: COMPLAINT FILED. WW. “A formal elections complaint, filed today with the state of Oregon and Multnomah County, argues County Commissioner Loretta Smith is campaigning for City Hall in violation of the county charter and has blown past the limits on campaign donations approved by county voters last year.”

TX: BLASTING THE HOUSE. CHRON. “The Republican Party of Texas says it has submitted open records requests with the offices of every member of the Texas House as party officials try to figure out who complained to the state’s campaign finance regulator about the party’s speaker commitment form.”

HAVE A GOOD DAY.