An investigation into $120,000 missing from the campaign account of U.S. Representative Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) highlights a loophole in the federal campaign finance system, according to a recent editorial in The Toledo Blade.
On August 14, 2019, the Ohio Supreme Court unanimously struck down the use of secret ballots during a public meeting in its decision in State ex rel. More Bratenahl v. Bratenahl.
An Ohio law that prohibits campaign spies was challenged in federal court by Project Veritas, a non-profit organization that describes itself as engaging “almost exclusively in undercover journalism to report to the public about instances of corruption, fraud, waste and abuse.”
In issuing its 5-4 opinion in Rucho et al. v. Common Cause et al., the Supreme Court has effectively withdrawn from partisan conflicts on gerrymandering playing out across the U.S.
Under federal law, political contributions from prohibited sources must be disgorged by either refunding the contribution to the contributor or sending it to the U.S. Treasury within 30 days of the date the contribution is discovered.
The recount of the Alexander Local School District's May levy vote is a win.
A yearlong investigation involving the FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the IRS resulted in the indictment of Steve Stenger, St. Louis County Executive.
With 2019 legislative sessions underway in both Columbus and Washington, D.C., state and federal lobbying and campaign finance regulators have issued new reporting calendars and contribution limits for the current biennium. Staying up to date on these limits and deadlines is important for anyone participating in the political process.
The Ohio Ethics Commission offers several training opportunities to help public officials and employees comply with the law. CLE credit is available.
In its 2018 Lobbying Statistics Report, JLEC and the Office of the Legislative Inspector General uncover trends in how Ohio lobbyists spent their time throughout the year.