Under the federal Lobbying Disclosure Act (“LDA”), an organization or lobbying firm must register if it employs an individual who meets the definition of a “lobbyist” and if its total expenses or income for lobbying activities meet certain monetary thresholds. Usually, the two non-monetary thresholds determining when an individual becomes a “lobbyist,” discussed below, are
Tax-exempt organizations, including private foundations and other types of nonprofits associated with high-net worth individuals, have been subject to increasing investigative scrutiny in recent years. Last Congress, for example, the House Judiciary Committee and several other committees issued document requests to multiple nonprofit organizations, and in this Congress the trend is likely to continue. The current administration
In the latest in a series of executive actions that aim to reshape much of government, President Trump signed an executive order on February 18 expanding the President’s authority over so-called independent agencies within the executive branch. The impact of this executive order will be felt across the federal government, and it remains to be
On her first day in office, Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a significant memorandum to all Department of Justice employees regarding the Department’s criminal enforcement policies, including a notable directive related to the Foreign Agents Registration Act (“FARA”). The memorandum provides that “[r]ecourse to criminal charges under the Foreign Agents Registration Act . . .
The California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) has adopted higher political contribution limits and public officer gift limits for the 2025-2026 political cycle. The new limits took effect January 1, 2025.
Contribution Limits
Under the new limits, an individual, business entity, or PAC can contribute $5,900 per election to candidates for state legislature, up from
The Federal Election Commission has announced contribution limits for 2025-2026. The new “per election” limits are effective for the 2025-2026 election cycle (November 6, 2024 – November 3, 2026), and the calendar year limits are effective January 1, 2025.The FEC increased the amount an individual can contribute to a candidate to $3,500 per election, up from
With the end of the Biden Administration, the start of the Trump 2.0 Administration, and a change of power in the U.S. House, the steady churn of high-skill professionals moving in and out of government positions has reached an all-time high. Indeed, beyond the typical cadre of newly unemployed political appointees, the incoming Trump Administration
The House Ethics Committee concluded 2024 by releasing a memorandum updating its guidance for Members’ personal use of political campaign funds (“updated guidance”). While the Federal Election Campaign Act (“FECA”) and Federal Election Commission (“FEC”) regulations prohibit the personal use of campaign funds, House Rule 26.6(b) imposes additional restrictions on the “personal use” of campaign
On January 2, 2025, the Department of Justice published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking(“NPRM”) soliciting public comments on potential amendments to the Department’s regulationsregarding the Foreign Agents Registration Act (“FARA”). The regulatory amendments proposedby the Department are significant, and they would take the statute in a substantially differentdirection. The proposed changes would completely overhaul
Under a newly enacted law, beginning June 30, 2026, defense contractors risk losing all future contracts with the Defense Department if they engage outside consultants that lobby for certain Chinese companies. On December 23, 2024, President Biden signed the National Defense Authorization Act (“NDAA”) for Fiscal Year (“FY”) 2025, which sets annual spending and