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
At the federal level, it is generally illegal for an outside group like a Super PAC or a 501(c)(4) organization to coordinate its independent expenditures with the candidate it supports. The same is true in many states. As we recently reported in our 2013 FEC Year in Review, however, the FEC did not act on … Continue Reading
Yesterday, the Wisconsin Assembly passed a bill that would modify Wisconsin’s ban on corporate expenditures and double the state’s political contribution limits. In response to Citizens United, the bill lifts Wisconsin’s blanket prohibition on corporate expenditures. If passed by the Senate and signed into law, the bill would permit corporate independent expenditures and corporate contributions … Continue Reading
A Wisconsin resident has brought a federal lawsuit challenging the state law that restricts individual political contributions to candidates and committees to $10,000 in a calendar year. As alleged in the complaint in the case, captioned Young v. Vocke, the aggregate limit is so low that if an individual were to make a maximum contribution … Continue Reading
