Latest Developments:
- The Governor of Maine approved P. 467 (LD 1417), which bans business entities from contributing to candidates and leadership PACs and caps contributions to PACs. The Maine Wire reports that the Governor signed 9 election- and campaign finance-related bills, including H.P. 1099 (LD 1485), which caps the amount an organization can pay for services contributed to a PAC and H.P. 1011 (L.D. 1377), which among other things, requires that internet videos contain the same audible and written disclosure statement (listing the top three funders) as broadcast or cable television political communications. These bills take effect 90 days after the end of the special session, which is currently in recess until June 30.
- The Governor of Louisiana signed B. 4, which removes the aggregate cap on contributions from PACs. According to the bill’s digest, under existing law “the total amount of combined contributions for both the primary and general elections that may be accepted by a candidate and his principal and subsidiary campaign committees from political committees shall not exceed $80,000 for major office candidates, $60,000 for district office candidates, and $20,000 for other office candidates in aggregate.” The bill repeals those caps and takes effect August 1.
In Case You Missed It:
- Activist Shareholders Pressure Corporations over Contributions: Roll Call describes a letter recently sent to corporate directors by Majority Action, a self-described group “that empowers shareholders to hold corporations accountable.” The article indicates that the group is “pressing 82 corporations to be transparent about donations to candidates and causes as contributions resume after a pause in the wake of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol… The letter asks companies to provide public disclosure of the amount and recipient of every election-related expenditure, including those made through political action committees and third-party groups such as trade associations.”
- Reporting Regrets: The Alaska Public Offices Commission, in Delaiarro v. Pruitt, fined a former legislator nearly $20,000 – only 2% of the maximum fine allowable – based on the “widespread and serious nature of the violations.” The allegations included failing to timely report expenditures, failing to provide details of expenditures, making untimely reimbursements to himself, and accepting prohibited campaign contributions. According to Alaska Public Media, the former legislator issued a statement saying, “‘In hindsight, I wish I would’ve hired someone to do my reports instead of trying to balance that and a campaign by myself.’”
- Crypto Currency Accepted: The Hill reports that “The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) will begin soliciting cryptocurrency donations.” The article notes that the committee is the first national party committee to accept cryptocurrency. The Committee will use a service to convert the contributions to U.S. dollars before transfer to the Committee in order to avoid a Federal Election Commission cap on cryptocurrency contributions.
- Lobbyist Access: The Ohio Capital Journal reports that Ohio lobbyists can obtain cardkeys to the State Capitol and nearby buildings, which permits them to “skip security lines, access elevator bays in the office buildings, and enter the Statehouse after hours.” According to a statement from the Ohio Lobbying Association, “All individuals registered with [the Joint Legislative Ethics Committee] and in good standing are eligible to apply and pay for a pass to the select state buildings…” The Ohio Capital Journal acknowledged that its own reporters “are OLCA [Ohio Legislative Correspondents Association] members and have Capitol access cards.”