Following an announcement in September that the White House intends to deploy the Foreign Agents Registration Act (“FARA”) to investigate persons with foreign ties that “foment political violence,” the FARA Unit of the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) quietly (and maybe inadvertently) published and then unpublished 17 new advisory opinions regarding
Continue Reading DOJ Posts (then Takes Down) Seventeen New Advisory Opinions Regarding the Foreign Agents Registration ActForeign Agents Registration Act
DOJ Withdraws Dozens of Regulatory Actions, Keeps FARA NRPM
By Brian D. Smith, Zachary G. Parks & Alex Langton on
Posted in Foreign Agents Registration Act
The U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ” or the “Department”) announced that, effective September 11, 2025, it is withdrawing several dozen Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRMs”), Advance Notices of Proposed Rulemaking, and Supplemental Notices of Proposed Rulemaking. The Department explained that it is “withdrawing these actions as part of the Federal…
Continue Reading DOJ Withdraws Dozens of Regulatory Actions, Keeps FARA NRPMCongress Weighs Foreign Agent Disclosure and Registration Bills
Posted in Foreign Agents Registration Act, Political Law
Congress is considering several bills to broaden disclosure and registration requirements related to the regulation of foreign agents under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (“FARA”) and the Lobbying Disclosure Act (“LDA”): the Foreign Registration Obligations for Nonprofit Transparency (“FRONT”) Act (S. 2305), Disclosing Foreign Influence in Lobbying Act…
Continue Reading Congress Weighs Foreign Agent Disclosure and Registration BillsTexas, Louisiana, and Nebraska Enact “Baby” FARA Laws
By Robert Kelner & Alex Langton on
Posted in Foreign Agents Registration Act, State Law
Over the last several weeks, Texas, Louisiana, and Nebraska have enacted so called “baby” Foreign Agents Registration Act (“FARA”) laws aimed at regulating foreign-influenced political activity in the states. There has been a trend in state legislatures over the last year to propose laws that apply to foreign-influenced political activity…
Continue Reading Texas, Louisiana, and Nebraska Enact “Baby” FARA LawsArkansas Governor Signs Baby FARA Law
By Derek Lawlor & Alex Langton on
Posted in Foreign Agents Registration Act, State Law
Over the past several months, several states have introduced bills that mirror the federal Foreign Agents Registration Act (“FARA”). There has been a trend in the states to propose so-called “baby FARA” laws that apply to foreign-influenced political activity in the states, though the proposals vary in the scope of…
Continue Reading Arkansas Governor Signs Baby FARA LawHave We Reached A FARA “Tipping Point”?
By Zachary G. Parks on
Posted in Foreign Agents Registration Act
The New York Times, earlier this month, reported that “secret ledgers” in Ukraine show $12.7 million in cash payments designated for former Donald Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort from Ukraine’s pro-Russian political party. Days later, the Associated Press reported that Manafort helped the pro-Russian party “secretly route…
Continue Reading Have We Reached A FARA “Tipping Point”?
Two More Public Relations Firms Trip Over the Foreign Agents Registration Act
By Robert Kelner & Brian D. Smith on
Two public relations firms have filed documents with the Department of Justice revealing that they provided public relations and media services in the United States for the government of Ecuador without being registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), as that law requires. These firms are the latest in…
Continue Reading Two More Public Relations Firms Trip Over the Foreign Agents Registration Act