foreign national

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 1): Corporate & Trade Association Campaign Activity

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 1): Corporate & Trade Association Campaign Activity

With a full complement of six commissioners for the first time since early 2017, the FEC met in open session yesterday.  Led by FEC Chair Shana M. Broussard and Vice Chair Allen Dickerson, the first meeting addressed a number of non-controversial matters that lent themselves to consensus.  That said, there…
Continue Reading FEC Reconvenes: What We Learned from the First Meeting of the New FEC

Every four years, prosecutors at the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) train their sights on money spent to influence the outcome of the presidential election—and those who spend it.  While the Federal Election Commission (FEC) has exclusive jurisdiction to penalize and enforce civil violations of the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA), …
Continue Reading Increased Enforcement Risk for Criminal Campaign Finance Violations

Effective tomorrow, June 11, 2020, a new law in Washington state prohibits involvement of “foreign nationals” in state campaign finance activity.  The law also requires corporations and other entities to certify their compliance with the new law whenever they make a contribution in the state.  This new law reinforces Washington’s…
Continue Reading Washington Becomes Latest State to Pass Law Prohibiting Foreign Involvement in Campaign Finance Activity

On Thursday, the FEC will return to the question of foreign nationals’ involvement in United States elections. This is an important question that deserves appropriate attention from our government.  Be it the role of Chinese government-linked funds in the 1996 presidential campaign or the Russian government-linked cyber intrusion in the…
Continue Reading The FEC Revisits the Ban on Foreign Nationals’ Financing of American Elections

In a little noticed decision earlier this month, the FEC announced the settlement of an enforcement case that sets a compliance standard that few companies may currently meet.  FEC ADR Case 708 (Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. PAC).  The outcome is even more surprising because the case involved a single…
Continue Reading FEC Issues Zero Tolerance Decision on Foreign National Contributions