Companies doing business with state and local governments or operating in regulated industries are subject to a dizzying array of “pay-to-play” rules. These rules effectively prohibit company executives and employees (and in some cases, their family members) from making certain personal political contributions. Even inadvertent violations can be dangerous: a single political contribution can, for example, … Continue Reading
The New Year brings with it new laws governing campaign finance, lobbying, and ethics. Below we highlight some of the major state and federal laws that took effect on or around January 1. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list, but highlights some of the most significant changes that are new for 2015. … Continue Reading
Despite seemingly widespread agreement between and among Vermont state legislators and Governor Shumlin that contributions to Vermont Super PACs should be capped in principle, it now appears unlikely that Senate Bill 82 will make it to the Governor’s desk in 2013. The two chambers of the state legislature were unable to agree on the specifics … Continue Reading
Yesterday the Vermont House of Representatives moved the State one step closer to imposing contribution limits on independent-expenditure only committees, more commonly known as Super PACs. As we reported here, the Senate has passed a bill (S. 82) that would limit contributions to Super PACs to $3,000, but only if the U.S. Court of Appeals … Continue Reading
Although over the last year many states have exempted Super PACs—i.e., groups that only make independent expenditures—from the strictures of contributions limits, Vermont may be headed in another direction. This is not the first chapter in the Vermont Super PAC story. As we noted last July, the Vermont Attorney General declared that the State would … Continue Reading
The Vermont Senate might soon scrap the Green Mountain State’s campaign finance law in its entirety in favor of new legislation. The pending bill would change contribution limits, increase reporting frequency, and require groups paying for electioneering communications to disclose their major donors. The ambitious bill, which is making its way through the state senate, … Continue Reading
When is an independent expenditure-only committee, or Super PAC, truly independent of the candidate the Super PAC supports? Surprisingly few courts in the post-Citizens United world have decided this question. A recent Vermont Superior Court decision, however, provides a rare example of a court grappling with this issue. The case involved allegations of coordination between … Continue Reading
Yesterday, the Vermont Attorney General announced that it would not enforce the state’s $2,000 statutory contribution limit against independent expenditure PACs. This policy change in practice allows Super PACs to raise unlimited funds for independent expenditure operations in Vermont. Notably, the law will remain on the books and will be applied unless the PAC demonstrates … Continue Reading
