Today, Congress announced the final version of the National Defense Authorization Act (“NDAA”) for Fiscal Year 2024. The NDAA is an annual bill that contains important provisions related to the Department of Defense and international security, among other things. An earlier version of the bill contained two key provisions related
Continue Reading Congress Removes Foreign Agents Registration Act (“FARA”)-Related Provisions from Final NDAANewly Issued DOJ Guidance Adds Significant New Requirements for Criminal Investigations Relating to Congress
By Peter Koski & Stephanie King on
Posted in Enforcement
This week, the Department of Justice (DOJ) released a new memorandum from Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco updating its policies and procedures for criminal investigations involving Members of Congress and congressional staff.
DOJ emphasized that investigations reaching Congress are important and “sensitive matters,” and explained that the additional guidance would…
Continue Reading Newly Issued DOJ Guidance Adds Significant New Requirements for Criminal Investigations Relating to CongressFEC Seeks Comment on AI Petition After Earlier Deadlock, But New Rules Remain Elusive
By Matthew Shapanka on
Posted in Campaign Finance
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) officially dipped its toes into the ongoing national debate around artificial intelligence (AI) regulation, publishing a Federal Register notice seeking comment on a petition submitted by Public Citizen to initiate a rulemaking to clarify that the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) prohibits deceptive AI-generated campaign…
Continue Reading FEC Seeks Comment on AI Petition After Earlier Deadlock, But New Rules Remain ElusiveCongress Introduces Retroactive Foreign Agents Registration Act in Response to Wynn Decision
By Robert Kelner, Brian D. Smith & Alex Langton on
Posted in Foreign Agents Registration Act
Last week, a bipartisan, bicameral group of legislators introduced the Retroactive Foreign Agents Registration Act (“RFARA”) in the U.S. Congress. Led by Chairman Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) of the U.S. House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, the bill would amend the Foreign Agents…
Continue Reading Congress Introduces Retroactive Foreign Agents Registration Act in Response to Wynn DecisionCalifornia Passes New Pay-to-Play Regulations for Contributions by Government Contractors and Others
By Andrew Garrahan & Kimberly Railey on
Posted in Pay-to-Play, State Pay-to-Play
California recently passed a series of new regulations affecting its “pay-to-play” laws that limit political contributions by state and local government contractors and others involved in proceedings on contracts, licenses, permits, and other “entitlements for use” in the state. These regulations implement changes to the law that took effect this…
Continue Reading California Passes New Pay-to-Play Regulations for Contributions by Government Contractors and OthersSenate Passes Two FARA-Related Bills
By Derek Lawlor & Alex Langton on
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 BillsDOJ Releases New FARA Advisory Opinions Affecting Digital Media Platforms
By Robert Kelner, Brian D. Smith & Alex Langton on
Posted in Foreign Agents Registration Act
The Department of Justice’s FARA Unit released several new advisory opinions in recent weeks that interpret the Foreign Agents Registration Act (“FARA”) and its regulations. While the newly published opinions addressed a number of topics, the FARA Unit’s broad reading of the FARA triggers and the jurisdictional scope of the…
Continue Reading DOJ Releases New FARA Advisory Opinions Affecting Digital Media PlatformsNewly Published “Oversight Plan” Outlines the House’s Investigative Priorities
Posted in Congressional Investigations
Late last week, the Committee on Oversight and Accountability published the House of Representative’s “Authorization and Oversight Plans.” The massive 241-page report is required by the House rules, and the Oversight Committee’s report collects the individual oversight plans that each standing committee of the House is required to create at…
Continue Reading Newly Published “Oversight Plan” Outlines the House’s Investigative PrioritiesCongressional Investigations and the Rules of the 118th Congress
Posted in Congressional Investigations
At the start of a new Congress, the House and Senate, and their committees, adopt internal rules that govern their operations, including rules that affect congressional investigations. These rules are often revised from Congress to Congress. To assist our clients responding to congressional investigations, this alert summarizes the rules for…
Continue Reading Congressional Investigations and the Rules of the 118th CongressCovington 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)