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Essential Ethics

Essential Ethics is Nielsen Merksamer’s popular bi-weekly newsletter focused on developments in campaign finance, lobby disclosure, and government ethics laws across the nation. View our latest and archived posts below.

September 30, 2024

Latest Developments: Federal Campaign Finance Lawsuit Fails: Though it expressed sympathy, the Sixth Circuit felt constrained by U.S. Supreme Court precedent and rejected an attempt to overturn federal limits on political parties’ ability to coordinate…

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September 12, 2024

Latest Developments: Federal Court Blocks Foreign Influence Rule: An Ohio federal district court has granted an injunction preventing the enforcement of Ohio House Bill 1, which was intended to limit foreign influence in elections by…

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August 27, 2024

Latest Developments: AI Content in Election Communications: CNN reports that the FEC plans to seek public comment on rules requiring all radio and television broadcast stations that air political ads to disclose on-air if there…

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August 6, 2024

Latest Developments: The Federal Election Commission published proposed regulations that would define “AI-generated content,” require certain disclosures, and require broadcasters, cable providers, and others to inquire whether an advertisement contains AI-generated content. Public comments are…

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August 2, 2024

Latest Developments: Minnesota Lobbying Changes: The Minnesota Campaign Finance Board has issued an update on recent legislative changes, which includes no longer requiring grassroots lobbyists to register, raising the compensation threshold for when an organization…

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July, 9 2024

Latest Developments: SCOTUS Rules that Corruption Law Allows Gifts to State and Local Officials: In a 6-3 ruling that reversed the conviction of an Indiana mayor who had accepted payment from a contractor with business…

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June 26, 2024

Latest Developments:  Texas Requires Influencers to Disclose Paid Posts: The Texas Ethics Commission unanimously voted to amend a campaign finance rule, requiring influencers to disclose when they are paid to make posts and videos for…

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June 12, 2024

Latest Developments: Massachusetts Public Employee Pays $17,000 Fine for Accepting Gifts: The Boston Herald reports that a department of public works deputy director has paid a $17,000 civil penalty for violating the state’s conflict of…

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May 29, 2024

Latest Developments:  The Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court, in Cuomo v. New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying State Government, upheld a lower court ruling that found the state’s new ethics…

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May 13, 2024

Latest Developments: Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves approved HB 1664, which expands gift and campaign contribution restrictions for public utilities officials and employees from interested persons to “covered persons.” Covered persons now include persons acting at…

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