RECENT LOBBYING, ETHICS & CAMPAIGN FINANCE UPDATES

We read the news, cut through the noise and provide you the notes.

Welcome to Compliance Notes from Nossaman’s Government Relations & Regulation Group – a periodic digest of the headlines, statutory and regulatory changes and court cases involving campaign finance, lobbying compliance, election law and government ethics issues at the federal, state and local level.

Please enjoy this installment of Compliance Notes.

Campaign Finance & Lobbying Compliance

Alaska: Alaskans for Honest Elections, a committee supporting the repeal of Alaska’s open-primary and ranked-choice voting laws, is appealing a $90,000 fine from the Alaska Public Offices Commission. The committee is challenging the commission’s decision, among other things, to deem a $90,000 contribution as made in a name other than the “true source” of the donation. (James Brooks, Alaska Beacon)

Florida: State Senator Blaise Ingoglia (R-Spring Hill) introduced a lobbying transparency bill that would, among other things, limit public officers, state employees and candidates from accepting gifts or anything of value based on the understanding that it would affect their judgement or official duties. (Andrew Powell, The Center Square)

Government Ethics & Transparency

Colorado: The Denver Board of Ethics has approved further investigation into the ethical conduct of City Council member Flor Avidrez. The allegations include use of official funds to pay $4,000 to her husband to build a float for a Halloween parade and to pay for more than $300 in flight upgrades on a flight to Chile. (Alayna Alvarez, Axios Denver)

Georgia: Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) filed an ethics complaint with the Georgia State Ethics Commission alleging that District Attorney Fani Willis, who is prosecuting former president Donald Trump in Georgia, failed to disclose “luxury vacations” and other items she received from another prosecutor with whom she developed a “personal relationship.” (Mychael Schnell & Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill)

Ballot Measures & Elections

Florida: The Florida Supreme Court heard oral arguments related to a reproductive rights ballot measure that would change the state’s 16-week abortion ban to 24 weeks. The state argued that the language of the ballot measure was too complicated for voters to understand, although the Chief Justice noted that “The people of Florida aren’t stupid – they can figure things out.” (Arek Sarkissian & Alice Miranda Ollstein, Politico)