Recently, three key investigative committees of the House of Representatives—the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Judiciary Committee, and Energy and Commerce Committee—each adopted their respective committee’s oversight plan for the new Congress, offering a window into the committees’ investigative priorities for the next two years. The newly adopted oversight plans provide insights
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Tax-Exempt Organizations: Understanding Executive and Congressional Enforcement Priorities
Tax-exempt organizations, including private foundations and other types of nonprofits associated with high-net worth individuals, have been subject to increasing investigative scrutiny in recent years. Last Congress, for example, the House Judiciary Committee and several other committees issued document requests to multiple nonprofit organizations, and in this Congress the trend is likely to continue. The current administration…
LDA’s Registration Thresholds Increase for Lobbyist Employers and Lobbying Firms
Under the federal Lobbying Disclosure Act (“LDA”), an organization or lobbying firm must register if it employs an individual who meets the definition of a “lobbyist” and if its total expenses or income for lobbying activities meet certain monetary thresholds. Usually, the two non-monetary thresholds determining when an individual becomes a “lobbyist,” discussed below, are…
New Executive Order Gives President Veto Power Over Some FEC Rulemaking
By Perrin Cooke
In the latest in a series of executive actions that aim to reshape much of government, President Trump signed an executive order on February 18 expanding the President’s authority over so-called independent agencies within the executive branch. The impact of this executive order will be felt across the federal government, and it remains to be…
Attorney General Issues Memorandum Regarding FARA Criminal Enforcement
On her first day in office, Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a significant memorandum to all Department of Justice employees regarding the Department’s criminal enforcement policies, including a notable directive related to the Foreign Agents Registration Act (“FARA”). The memorandum provides that “[r]ecourse to criminal charges under the Foreign Agents Registration Act . . .…
California Adopts New Contribution, Gift Limits for 2025-2026
By Andrew Garrahan & Zoë Brown
The California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) has adopted higher political contribution limits and public officer gift limits for the 2025-2026 political cycle. The new limits took effect January 1, 2025.
Contribution Limits
Under the new limits, an individual, business entity, or PAC can contribute $5,900 per election to candidates for state legislature, up from…
FEC Raises Contribution Limits for 2025-2026
The Federal Election Commission has announced contribution limits for 2025-2026. The new “per election” limits are effective for the 2025-2026 election cycle (November 6, 2024 – November 3, 2026), and the calendar year limits are effective January 1, 2025.The FEC increased the amount an individual can contribute to a candidate to $3,500 per election, up from…
Don’t Get Stuck in the Revolving Door: A Primer on Federal Post-Government Employment Restrictions
With the end of the Biden Administration, the start of the Trump 2.0 Administration, and a change of power in the U.S. House, the steady churn of high-skill professionals moving in and out of government positions has reached an all-time high. Indeed, beyond the typical cadre of newly unemployed political appointees, the incoming Trump Administration…
New House Ethics Committee Memorandum Clarifies Rules on Personal Use of Covered Campaign Funds
The House Ethics Committee concluded 2024 by releasing a memorandum updating its guidance for Members’ personal use of political campaign funds (“updated guidance”). While the Federal Election Campaign Act (“FECA”) and Federal Election Commission (“FEC”) regulations prohibit the personal use of campaign funds, House Rule 26.6(b) imposes additional restrictions on the “personal use” of campaign…
Department of Justice Proposes Major Changes to FARA Regulations, Including Sweeping Changes Affecting Multinational Companies
On January 2, 2025, the Department of Justice published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking(“NPRM”) soliciting public comments on potential amendments to the Department’s regulationsregarding the Foreign Agents Registration Act (“FARA”). The regulatory amendments proposedby the Department are significant, and they would take the statute in a substantially differentdirection. The proposed changes would completely overhaul…