In the News
Westmoreland County Times: ICYMI: Lawsuit to strike restriction on campaign donations moves forward
CCP Legal Director Allen Dickerson argued the motion last month in a three-hour hearing before Judge Wilkins. Noted Dickerson, “where there is no reasonable possibility of any quid-pro-quo agreement between candidates and deceased contributors, there is no corruption interest justifying FEC regulation.”
Independent Groups
Washington Post: Hillary for president super PAC officially launches
Lobbying and Ethics
Cato Institute: This Month at Cato Unbound: What Keeps Money Out of Politics?
By Aaron Blake
“We are going to keep up the energy and excitement surrounding her potential candidacy. To succeed, we need to start building an extensive field program — getting neighbors talking to neighbors, organizing on college campuses, and putting together the winning team of supporters that will help Hillary win in 2016,” Ready for Hillary PAC Chairwoman Allida Black said in a statement. “Together, let’s send a resounding message that America is ready for Hillary. Stand with us today!”
The Hill: Citizens United PAC gives over $100K to 18 incumbents
By Alexandra JaffeCitizens United Political Victory Fund contributed $101,000 in the first quarter to 18 candidates running in state and federal races nationwide, an indication it plans to help defend those candidates from primary challenges in 2014.
Lobbying and Ethics
Cato Institute: This Month at Cato Unbound: What Keeps Money Out of Politics?
By Jason KuznickiIt’s called the Tullock Paradox: if you run the numbers, the expected returns to lobbying commonly appear much larger than they ought to be. Bad behavior pays really well, and yet corporations and interest groups routinely pass on what would seem, from a coldly amoral stance, to be easy money. Rational economic actors ought to bid up the price of government favor—and thus bid down the rate of return—but real-world actors don’t do so.Note: CCP Academic Advisor Stephen Ansolabehere’s response essay will be out tomorrow.
Bloomberg: Donor Says He Sought Menendez on Medicare Without Breaking Law
By David Voreacos
“The senator and I have become like brothers, like friends,” said Melgen. “I talk to him weekly. I see him once a month. Not right now, since this whole thing has started. But we enjoy each other’s company,” he said. “He could do great things for this country, especially as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee.”
Read more…
Minnesota Post: Ethics office probing Bachmann has tense relationship with House members
By Devin HenryThe OCE filled a bit of a loophole in the congressional ethics rulebook. Before OCE’s inception, the House Ethics Committee would only investigate potential ethics violations if it was tipped off by members of Congress themselves. OCE can look into tips from any source, be it a tipster, a Federal Elections Commission filing, or even a news report, as long as two of the group’s eight board members vote to do so.
Washington Post: Outside-employment restrictions will still apply to furloughed federal workers
By Eric Yoder“Please remind your agency employees that they must continue to comply with all of the ethics laws and regulations including the criminal conflict of interest laws” plus government-wide standards of conduct and agency-specific restrictions on outside activities, the Office of Government Ethics said in a memo to agencies issued in March.
State and Local
California –– LA Times: Special interests spent $277 million lobbying in 2012 at state Capitol
California –– LA Times: Special interests spent $277 million lobbying in 2012 at state Capitol
By Marc LifsherBillions of dollars are up for grabs in a lobbying free-for-all for economic advantage, privilege and, sometimes, the public good. This year, 1,526 registered lobbyists stalk the halls and hearing rooms in the service of 2,410 clients.
New York –– NY Times: Lawmakers Charged in Plot to Buy Spot on Mayoral Ballot
By WILLIAM K. RASHBAUM and MARC SANTORA
A top New York State lawmaker was arrested early Tuesday morning for what federal prosecutors said was his central role in a brazen series of bribery and corruption schemes, including an attempt to buy a spot on the ballot in this year’s race for New York City mayor.
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Pennsylvania –– Republican Herald: Turnpike vendor gifts raises questions on ethics laws
By Robert SwiftHARRISBURG – The state ethics law requiring public officials to annually disclose gifts above a monetary threshold has been on the books for three decades, but the recent state grand jury report on corruption at the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission cites examples where two long-time powerbrokers in Harrisburg allegedly ignored the law.
