Subject: Daily News Clips 4/3/14
From: "Sam Losow" <[email-masked]>
To: "undisclosed-recipients:"
Date: Thu, 3 Apr 2014 10:15:50 -0400

*National News:*

Supreme Court Strikes Down Overall Political Donation
Cap<http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/03/us/politics/supreme-court-ruling-on-campaign-contributions.html?ref=us>WASHINGTON
-- The Supreme Court on Wednesday continued its abolition of limits on
election spending, striking down a decades-old cap on the total amount any
individual can contribute to federal candidates in a two-year election
cycle.

The ruling, issued near the start of a campaign season, will very likely
increase the role money plays in American politics.

The 5-to-4 decision, with the court's more conservative members in the
majority, echoedCitizens United, the 2010 decision that struck down limits
on independent campaign spending by corporations and unions.

Wednesday's decision seemed to alter campaign finance law in subtle but
important ways, notably by limiting how the government can justify laws
said to restrict the exercise of First Amendment rights in the form of
campaign contributions.

..........................................................................................

*Four dead and 16 injured in Fort Hood shooting*
Four people, including the gunman, died in a shooting rampage at Ft. Hood
Army base in Texas on Wednesday. Sixteen people -- three of whom remain in
critical condition -- were also injured. Army officials say the shooting
spree lasted 20 minutes before Specialist Ivan Lopez turned his privately
owned weapon, a .45 caliber Smith and Wesson, on himself. An Iraq war
veteran, Lopez was undergoing diagnosis for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
at the time of the shooting.
[*CNN*<http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/03/us/fort-hood-shooting/index.html?hpt=hp_t1>
]

..........................................................................................

*Egypt vows to pass anti-terrorism laws after bombings*
Just a few hours after three explosions killed two people in Cairo,
government officials in Egypt said the country would pass legislation aimed
at confronting terrorism. The announcement was made by a high-level
security committee that included the prime minister. Details on the new law
were scant, but Egyptian cabinet members will have a chance to weigh in on
the bill. [*Reuters*<http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/02/us-egypt-lawmaking-idUSBREA3121920140402>
]

..........................................................................................

*AP: U.S. built 'Cuban Twitter' to stir political unrest*
The United States government built a Twitter-like service in Cuba to stir
political unrest and help uncap the country's strict control of
information, according to the *Associated
Press*.<http://bigstory.ap.org/article/us-secretly-created-cuban-twitter-stir-unrest>
The
text messaging service, called ZunZuneo, started in 2010 and amassed a
following of 40,000 Cubans, who had no idea it was "created by the U.S.
government, or that American contractors were gathering their private data
in the hope that it might be used for political purposes." The Americans
behind ZunZeneo hoped to inject political messages that would produce
protests and create a "Cuban Spring." ZunZuneo suddenly disappeared in
mid-2012 when funding ran out. [*Associated
Press*<http://bigstory.ap.org/article/us-secretly-created-cuban-twitter-stir-unrest>
]
*Opinion:*

Measuring the Success of Health
Reform<http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/03/opinion/measuring-the-success-of-health-reform.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss>

The effects won't be known for years, but Democrats will need to remind
voters that many millions are already benefiting from the Affordable Care
Act.

*DE News:*

*Democrats plan campaign finance reform bills*
Democratic lawmakers will unveil a package of campaign finance reform bills
at Legislative Hall on Thursday in an attempt to address corruption
identified in a December report from special prosecutor E. Norman Veasey.

The package, which comes a week after Republicans introduced similar
proposals, includes legislation to provide whistleblower protection to
employees who report their bosses violated state campaign finance laws and
allow politicians to donate illegal contributions to charity.

Democrats will stop short of attempting to ban contributions from corporate
entities but will propose requiring them to disclose the name and address
of one person who shares or exercises direction over the entity's
activities. The proposals would not require political committees to report
the employer and occupation of donors.

Banning contributions from corporate entities and requiring political
committees to report employer information were two recommendations made in
Veasey's report.

"We've been working on these since January," said House Speaker Pete
Schwartzkopf, denying Republicans got out in front of majority Democrats on
campaign finance reform.

Gov. Jack Markell has donated more than $50,000 in tainted contributions to
charity. The donations were made during his 2008 gubernatorial campaign and
linked to liquor executive Chris Tigani and executives who pleaded guilty
in a Washington, D.C., straw donor scheme.

Tigani, who reimbursed other donors to bypass campaign contribution limits,
pleaded guilty to state and federal campaign finance violations and was
sentenced to federal prison.

Earlier story: Hudson bills would reform state's 'pay-to-play' culture

Rep. Deborah Hudson, R-Fairthorne, who has sponsored Republican campaign
finance reform proposals, criticized the Democratic proposal to allow
political candidates to send improper contributions to charity, a measure
expected to be sponsored by Sen. Robert Marshall, D-Wilmington.

"Here we are, we're trying to eliminate the pay-to-play culture and what
Sen. Marshall wants to do is create a graceful funnel for where to put the
money," said Hudson, who has introduced a bill to require political
committees to report employment information of donors.

Markell has worked with Democratic lawmakers on their proposals, a
spokesman said.

The governor's 2008 campaign was a focus of Veasey's investigation and
report, which provided evidence Markell's campaign accepted improper
contributions from Tigani and Michael Zimmerman, a Dover developer who also
pleaded guilty to making improper contributions to Markell.

Senate and House Democrats are expected to make remarks at a press
conference Thursday scheduled for 1:30 p.m. in the House Hearing Room at
Legislative Hall. Markell is also expected to attend.

They also are expected to introduce proposals to eliminate county boards of
election in favor of one state board, and to allow political candidates to
re-attribute contributions made by more than one donor.

Hudson's bills, filed late last month, also would provide whistleblower
protection to employees who report campaign finance violations, and provide
clarity around donations made by more than one person.

The Republican said she was not invited to the Democratic press conference.
Two Democrats, Wilmington Rep. Helene Keeley and Stanton Sen. Karen
Peterson, have co-sponsored Hudson's whistleblower legislation.

..........................................................................................

*Markell details redevelopment boost for state's urban areas*
Gov. Jack Markell unveiled his plan Wednesday to revitalize Delaware
communities hit by urban blight, crime and economic stagnation, pledging
about $7 million in grant money and various incentives.

"There is so much potential that has yet to be realized, and given the
challenges facing our cities and towns, we need to work together," Markell
said. "We can no longer afford to think of problems as 'Wilmington issues'
or 'Dover issues' or 'Seaford issues.' They're Delaware issues and we've
got to work together to solve them."

The idea's funding is included in Markell's proposed capital budget and was
a key part of his State of the State address. The initiative would create
as many as 15 Downtown Development Districts that would be eligible for
grant money, tax credits and other incentives. Projects backed by the
initiative could involve redevelopment of dilapidated properties or new
construction.

The plan requires approval from legislators in the General Assembly.

Local officials in New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties praised what they
called a much-needed initiative as Markell toured the state to announce it.

Wilmington Councilwoman Hanifa Shabazz, who attended Markell's talk at
World Café Live at the Queen, said she'd like the city to identify projects
as soon as lawmakers approve the program.

Shabazz said one place that is perfectly fitted for the initiative is the
East Side, a low-income and high-crime part of the city that local
nonprofits and leaders are trying to turn around through an initiative
called Eastside Rising. The project will include the refurbishment and
construction of more than 100 homes and beautification through the planting
of trees and vegetable gardens.

"This is God-sent," Shabazz said. "It's meant for the East Side, which
could become a model for revitalization. It fits everything that's needed."

Dover Council president Dave Bonar called the initiative one of "the more
exciting programs" he's seen come down the pike in his several decades
living in the capital.

"This redevelopment initiative will give us a badly needed shot in the
arm," he said, perhaps aiding mixed-use developments in the Loockerman
Street area.

Georgetown town manager Gene Dvornick said he was eager to see how the town
could utilize the program to create mixed-use projects along East Market
Street, the town's commercial corridor.

"Our downtown corridors are a very important part of our heritage," he
said. "Anything we can do to help re-energize or reinvigorate is certainly
worth looking into and hopefully executing."

Municipalities have to apply for the designation, which would first be
evaluated by the Cabinet Committee on State Planning Issues. Markell would
make the final designations. The governor said he hopes to release the
first round of applications during the summer. The first round would
designate one to three districts. Counties could not receive a second
designation until all three have a district.

Investors would be entitled to grants administered by the Delaware State
Housing Authority valued at up to 20 percent of their construction costs.
An investment of at least $25,000 is needed in a project before the
incentives kick in.

..........................................................................................

*Reform may be on way for state portfolio managers*
Lawmakers on the Joint Sunset Committee support several of Delaware
Treasurer Chip Flowers' ideas to increase transparency for a volunteer
board that manages the state's $2 billion investment portfolio, the
committee's chairman said Wednesday.

Flowers, who has faced criticism from fellow Democrats over his dealings
with the Cash Management Policy Board, addressed the committee Wednesday to
pitch reforms.

He called for requiring annual or biannual financial disclosures for
members, prohibiting members from giving political contributions, limiting
terms and adding more elected officials to the now nine-member board.

In January, Flowers advocated for many of those changes while lawmakers
debated a bill to limit his control of the state's investment portfolio.
House lawmakers narrowly defeated amendments to the bill that would have
required financial disclosure and implemented term limits for board
members. The full bill passed and was signed by Gov. Jack Markell in
February.

After the meeting, Flowers said he thought there was a different view.

"I think it's a feel-good moment. There is nothing concrete except the fact
that we have people on record saying they'd be supportive of it," he said
after the meeting. "Before we had a hearing today, people were opposed to
all of these concepts."

Sunset committee co-chair Rep. Gerald Brady, D-Wilmington West, said after
the meeting that he and committee members support requiring board members
to submit financial disclosures and prohibiting them from making political
contributions.

Sen. David Sokola, D-Newark, said during the hearing that making the
board's processes more open and transparent is a good thing.

"If for no other reason, it gives the public more confidence," Sokola said.
"There are clearly opportunities for playing games and for conflicts to
occur."

Flowers has previously contended that, at times, he has to wade through
"uncomfortable" situations with the board and potential conflicts.

But lawmakers on the committee do not appear as supportive of term limits
or adding elected officials to the board, Brady said. The board includes
five gubernatorial appointees, two members of Markell's cabinet, the state
controller general and the treasurer himself.

"Continuity of flow is key," Brady said.

Adding elected officials creates further impediments to the board's
operations and adds an obstructive political dynamic, he added.

Sokola said several of Flowers' ideas were good, but adding more elected
officials and imposing term limits were not.

"It's one of these situations where the structure is important, but I think
the results are more important," Sokola said, "and we have a system that
has given us for the last 14 years a AAA bond rating for the state."

John Flynn Jr., chair of the management board, said he doesn't oppose the
idea of frequent financial disclosures or prohibiting political
contributions. But he asked the committee not to just single out the cash
management board.

"If it is appropriate for any of these points to be addressed to the cash
management board, they are also appropriate to be addressed to all of the
financial boards," he said.

The Sunset Committee is expected to issue a report on the policy board
along with recommendations in May.

Flowers said requiring financial disclosures would be a "huge" victory and
just getting term limits on the table is a major accomplishment.

"Sometimes conflict is good. I know in Delaware, everyone likes to get
along and sing Kumbaya. But at the end of the day sometimes you need
conflict to flush the issues out," Flowers said. "We all got through it and
we're all going to be fine."

..........................................................................................

*Teachers seek evaluations moratorium*
Educators have little confidence in how the state measures their
performance, and lawmakers should place a moratorium on the evaluation
system until a better one can be crafted, the state's largest education
union says.

In a letter sent to legislators earlier this week, Delaware State Education
Association president Frederika Jenner says trust in the system has eroded
as the state makes changes that were part of its application for the $119
million federal Race to the Top grant.

Specifically, the union takes issue with Component Five, the new segment of
the evaluation system that ties teachers' ratings to their students' growth
on test scores.

The letter points to a state survey of teachers last year that found 86
percent of teachers, 87 percent of specialists and 96 percent of
administrators believed the evaluation system, and Component Five in
particular, "must change if it is to be truly effective as a teaching
tool." Overall, educators gave the system a "C" grade, the lowest since the
survey has been administered.

That skepticism comes even though 99 percent of educators were rated
effective or highly effective last year, the letter said.

Earlier story: Teacher union members voice discontent

"These numbers beg the question: Why would educators want to change a
system that tells them they are doing a good job?" Jenner wrote. "The
answer is quite simple - because they realize the system fails to
responsibly evaluate them, it fails to hold them accountable for what they
directly influence and, most importantly, it fails to support them in
providing all students with the skills and knowledge they need to be
successful in life."

Secretary of Education Mark Murphy said in a statement it would be unwise
to halt the evaluations.

"While we are seeing positive results in the classroom and teachers are
receiving more feedback, we are committed to continuing to work with our
educators to improve," Murphy said. "However, placing a hold on the use of
student growth would move us backward and would deny everyone in our system
the feedback that will help them ensure our students graduate ready to
succeed in college or career."

Jenner said teachers are not opposed to evaluations in general, saying most
teachers approved of the system as it was a few years ago - before test
scores were directly tied to their ratings.

"We do continue to support evaluation based upon student growth, but only
if based upon fair, valid and reliable measures in each educationally
related field," she wrote.

Murphy said the Department of Education has taken steps to improve the
evaluations after listening to "hundreds of educators." He also pointed out
that the state has provided multiple ways to measure student growth and
offered "hundreds of training and support opportunities to school leaders."

State officials are already planning on removing the Smarter Balanced
Assessment, the complex new state-wide test that starts next year, from
teacher evaluations for the next school year.

Rep. Darryl Scott, D-Dover, who chairs the House Education Committee, said
he's not sure yet what kind of traction DSEA's letter might find among
legislators. Scott acknowledged that teachers have "specific and legitimate
concerns" about the evaluations.

"I don't think we can adequately address this in a year, but I also don't
think an indefinite moratorium is an answer," Scott said. "I think we need
to have all of our stakeholders sit down and work out a definite timeline,
and we need to drive towards that timeline and stay on track."

Scott said the state needs to find a balance that addresses educators'
concerns but continues to push for progress.

Sen. Bryan Townsend, D-Newark, said teachers have faced too much
instability when it comes to evaluations, noting the system has been
overhauled three times in five years. He believes the state should take as
much time as needed to come up with one that will last.

"I haven't met a teacher yet who doesn't believe in good evaluations. The
issue is, what is the best way to do it?" Townsend said. "What we've got
right now is this big elegant dance that's so onerous from a bureaucratic
perspective. And if you look at the results, it just has obvious flaws."

The letter comes after DSEA's representative assembly pushed the union to
take a stronger stance against some of the changes made to Delaware's
education system under Gov. Jack Markell's administration.

In addition to directing its leadership last month to send Monday's letter,
the assembly - made up of representatives from each school district - voted
"no confidence" in how Delaware is implementing the new Common Core State
Standards and pushed for legislation to allow parents to "opt out" of the
state's standardized test.

-- 
Sam Losow
*Finance Assistant*
Beau Biden, DE Attorney General
Office: (302) 295-8340
Cell: (202) 821-3399
[email-masked]