Essential Ethics

Latest Developments:  North Carolina Officials, Lobbyists Investigated for KY Distillery Tours The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is investigating alleged ethics violations stemming from a nonprofit taking legislators and lobbyists on bourbon distillery tours…

Latest Developments: Administration Nominates Two Attorneys to FEC The President has nominated two well-known campaign finance attorneys to fill seats on the Federal Election Commission: Ashley Stow, of Texas, has been nominated to fill the…

Latest Developments: Donors to New Jersey Inaugural Ball Not Fully Disclosed Politico explores the legal “loophole” protecting donors from disclosure after they gave large donations to a 501(c) (4) organization, Mission to Deliver, and then…

Latest Developments: Paid Online Influencers Replacing Traditional Lobbyists The Wall Street Journal analyzes how “corporate and foreign interests that used to rely primarily on paid lobbyists to pitch their case to lawmakers and administration officials”…

Latest Developments: Supreme Court Considers Removing Political Party Spending Limits The Court heard arguments in a case that could shift power from Super PACs back to political parties if it lifts limits on parties’ spending…

Latest Developments: Lawsuit Challenging Ohio’s Foreign Money Ban is Dismissed Opponents challenging an Ohio law banning foreign nationals from contributing to state ballot measures and candidates have agreed to dismiss their lawsuit. The one-page agreement…

Latest Developments: Ex-Aide to California Governor Indicted for Alleged Theft of Another Official’s Campaign Funds A former top aide to California Gov. Gavin Newsom has been indicted on 23 federal charges for allegedly overseeing an…

Latest Developments: “Billionaire Tax” Measure May Be Headed for California Ballot Proponents have filed papers to pursue a ballot measure that would impose a “one-time 5% tax on California billionaires” as the state addresses an…

Latest Developments Foreign Nationals Prohibited from Funding California Elections A new law prohibits “foreign nationals” from funding California’s state and local elections. California has long prohibited involvement in state elections by foreign governments and principals….

Latest Developments: Political Donations “Shouldn’t Be This Dangerous” In a Washington Post op-ed, Democratic FEC Commissioner Dara Lindenbaum argues Congress should amend the Federal Election Campaign Act to protect individual donors from the safety risks…