Essential Ethics

Latest Developments: The FBI announced this week the indictment of US Rep. Jeff Fortenberry “on federal charges that he lied to the FBI and concealed information about illegal campaign contributions that he accepted from foreign sources.” Fortenberry denies…

Latest Developments: The Governor of Illinois signed SB 539. The comprehensive ethics reform bill expands lobbyist registration and reporting to include lobbying local government, and revises provisions relating to procurement, revolving door restrictions, and campaign contributions. The measure takes effect on…

Latest Developments: The Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission approved an increase in contribution limits. The new limits are: $7,600 for each primary and general election for statewide offices, $4,500 for each runoff election for statewide…

Latest Developments: The United States Supreme Court agreed to hear Federal Election Commission v. Cruz, a case that challenges the limit on the amount of personal loans that can be repaid to a candidate. Current law limits loan repayments…

Latest Developments: The United States First Circuit Court of Appeals, in Gaspee Project v. Mederos, upheld Rhode Island’s “limited disclosure of funding sources responsible for certain independent expenditures and electioneering communications.” The court found that the laws…

Latest Developments: The Illinois Legislature, after rebuffing the Governor’s request to amend SB 539 earlier, passed the requested amendments to the ethics bill at the beginning of a one-day session called to “consider a comprehensive energy package.” The Mattoon Journal-Gazette & Times-Courier explains…

Latest Developments: The Alaska Supreme Court sided with the Alaska Public Offices Commission in determining that limits on contributions to independent expenditure committees are unconstitutional. In APOC v. Patrick, the court found that existing limits are unconstitutional as applied…

Latest Developments: Multnomah County, Oregon (County Seat: Portland) announced that it will implement campaign contribution limits. According to the release, a “Circuit Court judge has ruled that Multnomah County’s campaign contribution limits are constitutional and do not violate free…

Latest Developments:  The California Fair Political Practices Commission adopted a new regulation requiring disclosure when a committee pays for website advertisements or third-party social media advertisements.  The commission also amended two other regulations related to online communications paid for by…

Latest Developments:  The Chair of the New York Joint Public Ethics Commission resigned.  She was appointed by the Governor to the position in February.  The Albany Times-Union reports that she told the Governor in June that she intended…