Latest Developments:
- The Mayor of San Bernardino City vetoed an effort to continue unlimited campaign contributions in municipal elections. The measure, MC-1543 (see pp. 37-41), is designed to avoid a state-imposed limit of $4,700 per election that will apply beginning January 1, 2021, in the absence of adoption of a local limit. The San Bernardino Sun explains that four of the seven-member council favor the state limit; three prefer no limits. The matter will likely be taken up again at the October 7, 2020 meeting.
- The Chicago Board of Ethics announced that it would begin enforcing “the ban on lobbying by elected officials from the state or other units of local government in Illinois,” beginning October 1. The ban took effect On April 14, 2020, but enforcement was postponed pending proposed changes. Those changes have not been approved.
- Saskatchewan Bill 195, which reduces the threshold requirements to register as a lobbyist was approved by the Lieutenant Governor in Council and took effect this week. The measure reduces the threshold that requires registration from 100 hours of lobby activity to 30 hours per year. The measure also bans gifts from lobbyists to public officials being lobbied.
- The City Council of Fort Collins, Colorado approved two ordinances to revise elections procedures. Ordinance 109-2020, among other things, bans certain committee-to-committee transfers. Ordinance 112-2020 requires that contributions from LLCs be attributed to an individual and limits contributions to PACs that support candidates.
In Case You Missed It:
- Personal Use Plea: A now former Alabama State Senator pleaded guilty to misusing campaign funds. Al.com reports that the Senator admitted to intentionally depositing campaign contributions into his personal account when he was a Montgomery City Council Member. The Senator resigned on September 1 and was arrested two days later. He “agreed to pay a $3,000 fine and to not run for or accept a public office for 10 years.”
- More SF Corruption Charges: The San Francisco Chronicle reports that two more contractors have been charged with bribing the former head of the Department of Public Works “with $20,000 in meals and a $40,000 tractor to use at his vacation home. In exchange, prosecutors said, [the Director] provided the pair with ‘a steady stream of illegal inside information’ on a lucrative contract to build and operate an asphalt recycling plant.”
- Revolving Door Temporarily Slowed: Roll Call analyzes a new think-tank report about the congressional staffer brain drain caused by the revolving door. The report begins with the observation that “Congress is a funnel to lucrative jobs in lobbying. Between 40−45 percent see the private sector as their next career step.” The Roll Call article considers the effect of COVID-19, noting that although “some K Street job opportunities have dried up, it seems a largely temporary phenomenon.”