Good morning. What’s news?
An interesting start to a motion to acquit in the Kevin Ring case
“This jury was the first in the United States to determine whether a registered federal lobbyist committed honest services fraud for conduct that was, under any view of the evidence, intricately intertwined with legal lobbying efforts.” Read here.
Members’ stock ownership double standard charged
The Post explains.
The Senate Armed Services Committee prohibits its staff and presidential appointees requiring Senate confirmation from owning stocks or bonds in 48,096 companies that have Defense Department contracts. But the senators who sit on the influential panel are allowed to own any assets they want.
And they have owned millions in interests in these firms.
An earmark on the last train
Roll Call reports.
The Supremes and business interests
Are the topic of this Times article.
Aggregate donations in the news in Louisiana
Report here.
The practice of accepting bundled contributions is common among candidates in local, state and federal elections.Those donations are drawing statewide focus to the inherent weaknesses in Louisiana’s campaign finance laws after reports recently revealed members of Caroline Fayard’s family gave at least $260,000 to the state Democratic Party, which, in turn, injected some $770,000 in the final weeks of her race for lieutenant governor.
Anonymous Maine website issue
Will be considered by the Maine Ethics Commission soon.
Schedule
Tomorrow will be the last regular morning report until Monday, Jan. 3.