Latest Developments:
- Trump Signs Memorandum of Understanding to Assist in Transition: As reported by Politico, the Trump transition team has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Biden White House to assist in the transfer of power, with the agreement stating that Trump will publicly disclose private donors to the transition and not accept foreign donations.
- Federal Election Commission Seeking Comment: The FEC is seeking comment on contributions made through untraceable electronic payment methods out of concern that the potential use of prepaid cards could circumvent contribution amount limitations and source prohibitions.
- No Supreme Court Review of Alaska Campaign Finance Rules: From Reuters, the Supreme Court declined to review a challenge to the Alaska law approved in 2020, which made big changes to the states disclosure requirements. Anyone who contributes $2,000 or more annually to an organization that makes independent expenditures to support candidates in elections is required to report their donation within 24 hours or face a penalty of up to $1,000 per day.
- Broward County Raises Food Cap: From the Sun Sentinel, the Broward County, Florida, Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to raise the food cap from $5 to $25, relaxing the rules that prohibited elected officials from accepting any gift with a value of more than $5.
Reminders:
Many jurisdictions update their limits related to gifts, lobbying, and campaign contributions in odd-numbered years to adjust to inflation. California announced the recommended increased limits to reflect inflation at its November 21st meeting. New Jersey has also announced new limits.
In Case You Missed It:
- FBI Investigates Fake Donors: The New York Times reports that federal prosecutors in Brooklyn, NY, have opened an investigation into a New York State Assembly candidate who received over $162,000 in matching funds; more than two dozen donors he listed as cash contributors said they did not donate, and others reported their signatures had been forged.
- Sentence in LA City Hall Fundraiser Case: KNX News Radio Los Angeles reports that a former City Hall fundraiser was sentenced Friday to a year of home detention for arranging a $500,000 bribe for now-imprisoned ex-Los Angeles City Councilman José Huizar to “grease the wheels” for a proposed downtown condominium project.
- Portland Issues Warning Letter and Fines: The city of Portland, Oregon found that a candidate for City Council had committed 7 campaign finance violations, including placing the required disclaimer in smaller font and failing to disclose the campaign’s dominant contributor, or that contributor’s top three funders. As this was the candidate’s first violation and he cooperated, the City Elections Division issued a warning letter instead of a fine. Oregon Live.com reports that the city auditor fined a Portland, Oregon City Council member who was running for mayor $9,180 – three times the $3,060 in illegal funds his campaign collected- after finding that he failed to return excess donations on 17 occasions and took between 31 and 223 days to issue refunds of excess contributions.
- Missouri State Pension Board Bans Use of Fund for Political Donations: From The Missouri Independents; the Missouri State Employees Retirement System responded to contributions made this year by the Missouri Sheriffs’ Retirement System and Prosecuting Attorneys and Circuit Attorneys Retirement System by voting to ensure that pension system funds do not flow into campaigns for ballot measures or candidates, and one of the board members plans to introduce legislation installing similar rules.
- Ethics Complaint over Attempts to Overturn 2020 Presidential Election: The Washington Post reports that Wisconsin’s Office of Lawyer Regulation has filed a 10-count ethics complaint against a former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice who oversaw a review of the 2020 presidential election in this battleground state.
- Prison Sentence for Ghost Candidate Scheme in Florida: As reported by The Miami Herald, a lobbyist and former Florida state senator received a sentence of 60 days in jail, five years of probation, 500 hours of community service, and is prohibited from participating in politics except by voting after his involvement in a scheme to pay a third-party candidate to siphon off Democratic voters in a tight race.
- New Jersey Board of Education Censures Official for Naming School after Her Boss: Former New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver appointed her former chief of staff and long-time friend to be president of East Orange’s Board of Education, who in turn voted to name an elementary school that was under construction after Ms. Oliver. This required a vote to suspend board policies that prohibited the naming of buildings after living people, or people with political connections. The state School Ethics Commission found the appointee had violated New Jersey law that prohibits the creation of a benefit for herself or a friend.