Latest Developments:
- Michigan Measure Would Ban Utility Contributions: If qualified for the ballot and approved by voters, legislation could prohibit regulated electric and gas utilities from “making direct or indirect campaign contributions to those who run for or hold offices that impact them.” The ban would extend to contractors with more than $250,000 annually in government contracts and those in organizations with substantial connections to the utilities or contractors. Bridge Michigan
- DNC Seeks to Limit Corporate and Dark Money: A Democratic National Committee resolution seeks to have a reform committee “identify and study . . . real, enforceable steps the DNC can take to eliminate unlimited corporate and dark money in its 2028 presidential primary process,” including legislative actions to present to Congressional leaders. TheHill.com
- Texas Changes Corporate Laws to Avoid Shareholder Activism: Under legislation, Texas SB 1057, effective September 1, 2025, corporations incorporated or headquartered in Texas can now restrict shareholder proposals to only their largest shareholders – those owning at least $1 million in stock or 3 percent of the company. The move helps companies avoid activist shareholder proposals. The New York Times
- Hiding the Lobbyists: A tech company used an internal reorganization to exclude the value of lobbying by its senior executives from disclosures. According to a report by the TechTransparencyProject.org, the move helped keep Google off the top of the lobbying charts. msn.com
Reminders:
- New York’s bimonthly lobbying reports for July and August are due September 15th. Maryland’s new Campaign Finance Reporting System and Business Disclosure System is set to “go live” in November.
- The Practising Law Institute (PLI) features a live, one-hour webcast – Basics of the Federal Election Campaign Act 2025 – on September 10th at 1:00 p.m. EST with Jason Kaune of Nielsen Merksamer and Kenneth Gross of Akin Gump. Learn about “Dark Money,” how FECA regulates campaign finance, and how the Internal Revenue Service regulates federal campaign activity in preparation for a two-day conference later in the month. Register for the two-day program Corporate Political Activities 2025: Complying with Campaign Finance, Lobbying, and Ethics Laws and receive complimentary access to the September 10th briefing.
- Jason Kaune and Tyler Kleinman of Nielsen Merksamer were part of a recent one-hour webinar hosted by the Council on Governmental Ethics Laws (COGEL): Campaign Finance in Focus: Independent Expenditures in Judicial Elections and New York City. Access it on Zoom, using the passcode mxW7^^yD
In Case You Missed It:
- California Voters Could Be Asked to Expand Public Funding: If passed, Senate Bill 42 would seek voter approval in November 2026 to lift the ban on public financing for state and local elections in California. Right now, only Charter cities – and not general law cities – have authority to enact public financing programs. msn.com
- Feds Allege Overpayments for Voting Machines Went to Bribery Fund: Smartmatic, a U.K.-based voting system company, allegedly overbilled Los Angeles County for voting machines used in 2020 and funneled the extra cash into a “slush fund” for bribing government officials, federal prosecutors say. Meanwhile, an L.A. County official faces allegations of civil ethics violations tied to his relationship with company leaders. Los Angeles Times
- Bessent’s Failure to Fully Divest Assets Raises Ethics Concerns: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s failure to fully comply with an agreement that requires him to divest his financial assets poses potential conflicts of interest as he leads the administration’s economic policy agenda, says the U.S. government’s ethics watchdog agency. The New York Times
- Red Envelopes Filled With Cash Passing Hands at Campaign Rallies? Allegations of cash slipped to reporters in a potato chip bag and in red envelopes by supporters of Mayor Eric Adams are adding new drama to New York’s heated mayoral campaign. The New York Times
- “Goo-Goo” Work to Fight “Perfectly Legal Corruption”: Meet the relentless lobbyist in an uphill battle against big money and special interests, with discussion of the origins of the STOCK Act and the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007. Washingtonian