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
Continue Reading New Law Appears to Restrict Defense Contractors from Retaining Consultants Who Lobby for Chinese Military CompaniesLobbying Compliance
Senate Passes Two FARA-Related Bills
On Thursday, the Senate passed two bills — The Lobbying Disclosure Improvement Act (S. 264) and Disclosing Foreign Influence in Lobbying Act (S. 289) — that attempt to increase disclosure of Foreign Agents Registration Act (“FARA”) activity through amendments to the Lobbying Disclosure Act (“LDA”). The…
Continue Reading Senate Passes Two FARA-Related BillsCovington Releases Updated Survey of Federal and State Campaign Finance, Lobbying, and Gift Rules (2023 Edition)
Covington annually publishes a detailed survey of state campaign finance, lobbying, and gift rules. Now, for the first time, Covington is releasing an updated survey that details federal campaign finance, lobbying, and gift rules, in addition to those of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Corporations, trade associations, non-profits…
Continue Reading Covington Releases Updated Survey of Federal and State Campaign Finance, Lobbying, and Gift Rules (2023 Edition)GAO Report Highlights Trends in Lobbying Disclosure Act Compliance and Enforcement
The 2021 report from the Government Accountability Office (“GAO”) offers new details on the landscape of Lobbying Disclosure Act (“LDA”) compliance and enforcement. The report is based on random audits of lobbyists’ filings and analysis of enforcement by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia (“USAO”).
The report…
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Covington Releases 50-State Survey of Campaign Finance, Lobbying, and Gift Rules (2022 Edition)
Corporations, trade associations, non-profits, other organizations, and individuals face significant penalties and reputational harm if they violate state laws governing corporate and personal political activities, the registration of lobbyists, lobbying reporting, or the giving of gifts or items of value to government officials or employees. To help organizations and individuals …
Understanding H.R. 1 (Part 2): Changes to the Lobbying Disclosure Act and Foreign Agents Registration Act
With a growing chorus of support across the progressive landscape, the For the People Act of 2021 has emerged as a key legislative priority for congressional Democrats in the 117th Congress. Envisioned as a “transformational anti-corruption and clean elections reform package,” the bill would enact sweeping changes to federal election…
Continue Reading Understanding H.R. 1 (Part 2): Changes to the Lobbying Disclosure Act and Foreign Agents Registration Act
LDA’s Registration Threshold Increases By $1,000
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. The two non-monetary thresholds determining when an individual becomes a “lobbyist,” discussed below, are usually the main factors driving when an organization or lobbying firm must register. However, the monetary thresholds, one of which was recently increased from $13,000 to $14,000, may affect the registration obligations of entities engaged in only a de minimis amount of lobbying.
Continue Reading LDA’s Registration Threshold Increases By $1,000
Contributions-for-Pardons Opinion Reveals DOJ Efforts, and Challenges, Prosecuting Lobbying Violations
An opinion by Chief Judge Beryl Howell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia unsealed yesterday has generated much attention for its discussion of contributions-for-pardons allegations in a case that is still largely obscured from public view. But the underlying offenses at issue in the case also…
Continue Reading Contributions-for-Pardons Opinion Reveals DOJ Efforts, and Challenges, Prosecuting Lobbying Violations
Guidelines for Interacting with the Biden-Harris Transition and the Biden Inaugural Committee
With the election over, attention now turns to the transition and the upcoming inauguration of the new Biden-Harris Administration. In this alert, which will be of interest to chief compliance officers and many others across the country, Covington’s Election and Political Law Practice Group provides insight into what promises…
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DOJ Charges Abramoff in First-Ever Criminal Lobbying Disclosure Act Prosecution
Nearly a decade after his release from prison, having served nearly four years on corruption charges, disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff may be heading back behind bars, this time as the first person ever charged and convicted for criminal violations of the Lobbying Disclosure Act (“LDA”). Yesterday the Justice Department announced…
Continue Reading DOJ Charges Abramoff in First-Ever Criminal Lobbying Disclosure Act Prosecution