Essential Ethics

Latest Developments: The Governor of Montana signed SB 1, which revises the definition of “lobbying.” The bill deleted references to “public officials” as the object of lobby efforts and instead uses the term “legislator” to clarify that lobbying…

Latest Developments: The Ohio Secretary of State’s Office issued a revised campaign contribution limit chart for the period from February 25, 2021 to February 24, 2023. For example, the limit on contributions from a PAC to a statewide candidate, such…

Latest Developments: The Governor of Montana issued Executive Order 3-2021, which repeals the Previous Governor’s Executive Order 15-2018. That prior order required certain state contractors to disclose their political expenditures, including contributions and electioneering communications. The Chair of the…

Latest Developments: The Los Angeles County District Attorney announced the indictment of the former Mayor of Maywood, the former City Manager, and the former Building and Planning Director, among others, for corruption involving campaign contributions and bribes in…

Reminders: Contribution Limits Update: Nielsen Merksamer tracks contribution limit changes at the federal, state, and select local levels. During this period in the election cycle (between the November 2020 election and the beginning of 2021)…

Latest Developments: The Governor of Mississippi’s nonprofit organization, For All Mississippi, which was formed to organize “the 2020 gubernatorial inauguration for Governor-elect Tate Reeves,” filed its IRS Form 990.  Based on that public information, the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reports that…

Latest Developments: The Chair of the Democracy Reform Task Force in the United States House of Representatives reintroduced R. 1. The Hill notes that one of the primary purposes of the bill is “to reduce the influence of lobbyists…

Latest Developments: The United States Supreme Court agreed to review two cases from California that concern political spending. Americans for Prosperity Foundation v. Becerra and Thomas More Law Center v. Becerra both question whether California may require a nonprofit organization to…

Latest Developments: The Oklahoma Ethics Commission met and adopted a new rule that revises lobbyist gift rules. The change creates an exception for informational materials provided by a lobbyist or lobbyist employer. Gifts of informational material valued at less…

Latest Developments: The North Dakota Attorney General issued an opinion approving regulations of the state’s Ethics Commission. The regulations expand the definition of who qualifies as a lobbyist for purposes of gift rules to include all public officials. The opinion…