Category Archives: lobbying

“Florida legislators’ PACs amass hundreds of millions of dollars”

January 3, 2020, 4:39 pmcampaign finance, lobbyingJustin Levitt

I missed this last week: Direct donations to campaigns for the Florida Legislature are limited to $1,000. . . . [But t]he amount of money a company or individual can donate to a legislator’s PAC is limitless. . .… Continue reading

Divided En Banc 8th Circuit Strikes Down Application of Lobbying Law to Lobbyist Who Was Uncompensated and Engaged in No Spending; But Decision Ominous for Constitutionality of Lobbying Disclosure Laws Generally

November 1, 2019, 12:46 pmlobbyingRick Hasen

If I had more time, I’d write this up, but for now I will leave you with just the link to Calzone v. Summers.

SDNY Investigates Rudy Giuliani for FARA Violation Connected to Ukraine Shenanigans

October 11, 2019, 8:42 pmchicanery, lobbyingRick Hasen

NYT: Federal prosecutors in Manhattan are investigating whether President Trump’s personal lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani broke lobbying laws in his dealings in Ukraine, according to two people familiar with the inquiry.The investigators are examining Mr. Giuliani’s efforts to undermine the… Continue reading

“Can a 501c3 Advocate for Impeachment of a Federal Office Holder?”

October 8, 2019, 8:40 amcampaigns, lobbying, tax law and election lawRick Hasen

Timely exploration by Tim Mooney at NPQ.

“‘Shadow lobbying’ in Trump’s Washington”

October 3, 2019, 5:07 pmlobbyingRick Hasen

New report from the Center for Responsive Politics.

“Elizabeth Warren Proposes a Big New Tax on Lobbyists. But Is It Legal?”

October 3, 2019, 8:46 amlobbyingRick Hasen

Time reports.

“Judge Throws Out Conviction of Michael Flynn’s Business Partner”

September 24, 2019, 8:44 pmlobbyingRick Hasen

NYT: A federal judge on Tuesday threw out the conviction of a business associate of the former national security adviser Michael T. Flynn, saying prosecutors had failed to offer enough evidence to sustain their charges that he had secretly lobbied… Continue reading

“Trial of High-Powered Lawyer Gregory Craig Exposes Seamy Side of Washington’s Elite”

August 26, 2019, 7:57 pmethics investigations, lobbyingRick Hasen

NYT: It is a trial tailor-made to grab the attention of this city’s power brokers: In a federal courtroom this month, one of Washington’s most prominent lawyers — a former White House counsel and attorney to global statesmen and other… Continue reading

“Prominent Lawyer’s Trial Will Test Crackdown on Unregistered Foreign Agents”

August 12, 2019, 7:21 amlobbyingRick Hasen

NYT: Not long before Christmas 2012, Paul Manafort, then a foreign lobbyist, congratulated Gregory B. Craig, a well-known Washington lawyer, on the release of a report that Mr. Manafort had commissioned to help Ukraine’s pro-Russian president polish his image… Continue reading

“Legal scholars say life lobbying ban might not be constitutional”

August 6, 2019, 12:50 pmlobbyingRick Hasen

Politico reports.

“Democrats swore off donations from lobbyists and fossil fuel execs. But some are skirting their own rules.”

July 29, 2019, 7:27 amcampaign finance, campaigns, lobbyingRick Hasen

WaPo: Among New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker’s donors to his presidential campaign is a vice president of a leading pharmaceutical company. The senior vice president of Comcast who oversees the company’s lobbying efforts hosted a fundraiser for former vice… Continue reading

“Federal Inquiry of Trump Friend Focused on Foreign Lobbying”

July 28, 2019, 6:13 pmlobbyingRick Hasen

NYT: As Donald J. Trump was preparing to deliver an address on energy policy in May 2016, Paul Manafort, his campaign chairman, had a question about the speech’s contents for Thomas J. Barrack Jr., a top campaign fund-raiser and close… Continue reading

“Dem front-runners cash in on slippery definition of lobbying”

July 23, 2019, 5:44 amcampaign finance, lobbyingRick Hasen

Politico: Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren and other leading Democratic presidential candidates have sworn off contributions from Washington lobbyists as a way to insulate themselves from those who might try to shape their agendas if elected.But they’re hardly… Continue reading

“‘Let’s make a deal’: AOC and Ted Cruz (yes, that’s right) teaming up to fix Washington”

May 30, 2019, 8:35 pmlobbyingRick Hasen

WaPo: Ocasio-Cortez tweeted an analysis from the watchdog group Public Citizen that found nearly 60 percent of former members from the last Congress who have jobs taken outside of politics are lobbying or influencing federal policy in some way,… Continue reading