government ethics

The Ferrari carrying former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell appears to have made a U-turn this week on its way to the federal penitentiary.  Covington released today a Client Alert on the Supreme Court’s decision in McDonnell v. United States, a decision which vacated Governor McDonnell’s conviction and redraws the…
Continue Reading The Supreme Court Redraws the Lines for Corruption Prosecutions

As the nation looks forward to giving thanks with family and friends, the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) will be proposing revisions to regulations that specify when employees of the federal executive branch must say, “No, thanks.” These changes are only proposals at this time and have not yet taken …
Continue Reading Thanksgiving Treat: Executive Branch Gift Rules in for Rewrite

What is the “market value” of a ticket to an event with no entrance fee?  Event sponsors and executive branch employees have long struggled on the best way to estimate the market value of government employees attending free, especially invitation-only, events.  Finally, we have an answer.

The Office of Government…
Continue Reading “Market Value” to Events with No Entrance Fee Explained

The New Year brings with it new laws governing campaign finance, lobbying, and ethics. Below we highlight some of the major state and federal laws that took effect on or around January 1. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list, but highlights some of the most significant changes…
Continue Reading New Campaign Finance, Lobbying, and Ethics Laws Take Effect

The notion that the House and Senate Ethics Committees are inactive bodies, often implied in media coverage, is far from the truth.

During the previous Congress, the House Ethics Committee issued more than 900 formal advisory opinions and addressed more than 40,000 informal requests for guidance.  In the first half…
Continue Reading Ethics Enforcement in the 114th Congress

Amid the thrill of victory and agony of defeat this Election Day, Arkansas voters approved a constitutional amendment that will have a major impact on those involved in the political and legislative process there.  While enacting legislation and regulations may bring some additional clarity to the issues, the amendment is…
Continue Reading New Arkansas Campaign Finance, Lobbying, and Ethics Laws Take Immediate Effect

Those active in Virginia politics should note that portions of Virginia’s new ethics law take effect tomorrow, July 1, 2014, including the new $250 annual limit on “tangible” gifts from lobbyists and government contractors.

Governor Terry McAuliffe has said that this is not the end of ethics reform in Virginia. …
Continue Reading New Virginia Ethics Laws Take Effect Tomorrow; More Changes May Come in 2015

New York State’s lobbying and ethics regulator, the Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE), released a number of new rules, effective this week, including rules on the giving and receiving of gifts, honoraria, and payment for expenses.

JCOPE, which was established by the state’s Public Integrity Reform Act of 2011,…
Continue Reading New York State Regulator Adopts New Ethics Rules

The Virginia General Assembly passed new ethics legislation on Wednesday to little fanfare.  Legislators voted unanimously to adopt the new law with Governor Terry McAuliffe’s technical amendments.  We previously blogged about the law’s major provisions.  The law supplements the much stricter executive order limiting gifts to the executive branch,…
Continue Reading Virginia Enacts New Gifts and Ethics Legislation

The Alabama Senate unanimously passed a bill to close Alabama’s revolving door last week.  The legislation bars a legislator from lobbying either chamber of the Alabama legislature for two years.  This bill closes a loophole in Alabama’s current statute, which only prohibits a former legislator from lobbying the…
Continue Reading Is Alabama’s Revolving Door Closing?