Trade Associations

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Please join us for a networking lunch and program (also available as a webinar) on April 29, 2014, at 12:00pm EDT in our Washington, D.C. office, which will provide a timely roadmap for nonprofit organizations that engage or are thinking about engaging in the political process. We will cover topics that you should be thinking …

A leaked email written by a senior Congressional aide became fodder for the politics section of the Washington Post last week, painting a picture of secret industry collusion with candidate campaigns on independent expenditures. The aide’s email, reportedly written to several of his boss’s campaign officials, explained that a prominent industry trade association was committed …

On April 16, Ron Jacobs, Larry Norton, and Janice Ryan will host a program for nonprofits covering campaign finance, lobbying disclosure, and gift rule issues for trade associations, social welfare organizations, and charities. Perfect for those who have already seen our Political Law 101 session and want to learn answers to more advanced …

The New York State Joint Commission on Public Ethics (“JCOPE”), which oversees and regulates ethics and lobbying in New York, hosted the first in a series of roundtable discussions with the regulated community on March 8 (in Albany) and March 15 (in NYC).

The March roundtable discussions focused on the new Reportable Business Relationship (“RBR”)…

In the recent press release announcing his retirement, Senator Carl Levin announced that he will use his last two years running the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (“PSI”) to “encourage” the IRS to provide aggressive oversight of tax-exempt groups that are primarily engaged in politics. The prospect of hearings could potentially expose the inner workings of…

On December 11, New York’s attorney general revealed new regulations that would, if adopted, require nonprofit groups doing business in New York to disclose the percentage of total spending devoted to political activities in New York. The rules also would require groups that spend more than $10,000 to identify any donor giving $100 or more.…

Many “political” organizations have 501(c)(4) arms that claim to allow their donors to remain anonymous. Donors who don’t mind being disclosed often give to independent expenditure committees (“super PACs”), which publicly disclose all of their donors to state or federal officials. Those who prefer not to disclose their name, address, occupation, and employer will often…

Americans for Responsible Leadership (“ARL”), a Phoenix-based nonprofit organization, disclosed its donors today in response to a ruling late yesterday from California’s highest court. The suit to enforce a new California disclosure regulation was filed by the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission (“FPPC”). According to the FPPC, the contribution was funneled to ARL from two…

Today a D.C. federal appeals court temporarily reinstated a Federal Election Commission rule concerning when advocacy groups and others must disclose their donors, but has directed the FEC to clarify the rule or return to the courts for more litigation. The effect of the ruling is to put in limbo a key disclosure rule less…

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has reportedly been investigating 501(c)(4) organizations that have been involved in political activities. According to the New York Times, his office has sent letters to nearly two dozen groups seeking information about their activities.  The exact aim of this investigation is not clear, but commentators have suggested that it…