Latest Developments:
Judge Blocks Churches from Endorsing Political Candidates
A federal judge in Texas rejected a consent agreement in which religious groups could speak about politics and candidates as part of their typical activities without risking their tax-exempt status. Order – NRB v Bessent The agreement would have avoided the so-called Johnson Amendment, which bars charities and churches from making political endorsements and engaging in other political activity. Judge Blocks Deal Allowing Churches to Endorse Political Candidates – WSJ and Election Law Blog.
Community Weighs in on Plans for New L.A. County Ethics Commission
Plans for the new L.A. County Ethics Commission continue to advance, after voters approved the idea in 2024. U.C. Berkeley’s Possibility Lab has released its Community Engagement Report for the Governance Reform Task Force. It reports community input on how Commissioners should be appointed, who would be eligible to serve, and how to ensure the Commission’s funding is sufficient and independent. You can find the report here: Possibility Lab – UC Berkeley – Community Engagement Report
IRS “Glitch” Reportedly Masks $51 Million in State Campaign Contributions
The Center for Political Accountability, which tracks corporate spending, told The Guardian that a “technical glitch at the understaffed Internal Revenue Service is masking” $51 million for the second half of 2025 in campaign contributions to state-level election groups, including key governor and attorney general races. Election Law Blog – Guardian report
Connecticut Regulators Say Lobbyists Can Contribute, Despite Ban
Connecticut’s State Elections Enforcement Commission has ruled that in-house lobbyists working for foreign-owned businesses can make personal contributions to Connecticut political campaigns without violating a 2024 state law that prohibits foreign nationals from making political contributions or expenditures under state campaign laws. You can read the order here: https://portal.ct.gov/seec (webpage has link to Declaratory Ruling 2026-01).
Events and Reminders:
Nielsen Merksamer Partners Jason Kaune and Evann Whitelam will be panelists at this week’s 2026 Corporate Political Responsibility Conference at the NYU Stern School of Business, Thursday, April 9 and Friday, April 10. The conference is titled Corporate Political Responsibility: Maintaining an Ethical Compass in Turbulent Times. The conference will explore corporate political accountability, ethical governance, and the role of the private sector in a healthy democracy.
In Case You Missed It:
ActBlue Lawyers Warned its CEO Regarding Response on Foreign Donations
The New York Times reports that a law firm representing ActBlue “concluded that ActBlue’s chief executive had given a potentially misleading response to congressional Republican investigators in a 2023 letter explaining how the organization vetted donations to ensure that they were not illegally coming from foreign citizens.” NY Times – ActBlue
Florida House Democrat Found Guilty on 25 Ethics Violation Counts
Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick “illicitly funneled millions of dollars to her campaign and committed various campaign finance infractions,” Politico reports, after a bipartisan House Ethics subcommittee found “clear and convincing” evidence that she was guilty of all but two of the 27 counts that had been brought against her. A sanctions hearing will follow. Politico – Cherfilus-McCormick Guilty
Donations to GOP Candidate for California Governor Could Violate Law
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that maximum donations from two companies to California gubernatorial candidate Chad Bianco could violate the state’s campaign finance laws on aggregation because they are controlled by the same people. SF Chronicle – Bianco Contributions