Lobbying Disclosure Act:
REGISTRATION OF LOBBYISTS. [2 U.S.C. 1603]
(a) REGISTRATION.—
(1) GENERAL RULE.—No later than 45 days after a lobbyist first makes a lobbying contact or is employed or retained to make a lobbying contact, whichever is earlier, or on the first business day after such 45th day if the 45th day is not a business day, such lobbyist (or, as provided under paragraph (2), the organization employing such lobbyist), shall register with the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives.
(2) EMPLOYER FILING.—Any organization that has 1 or more employees who are lobbyists shall file a single registration under this section on behalf of such employees for each client on whose behalf the employees act as lobbyists.
(3) EXEMPTION.—
(A) GENERAL RULE.—Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (2), a person or entity whose—
(i) total income for matters related to lobbying activities on behalf of a particular client (in the case of a lobbying firm) does not exceed and is not expected to exceed $2,500; or
(ii) total expenses in connection with lobbying activities (in the case of an organization whose employees engage in lobbying activities on its own behalf) do not exceed or are not expected to exceed $10,000, (as estimated under section 5) in the quarterly period described in section 5(a) of this title during which the registration would be made is not required to register under subsection (a) with respect to such client.
(B) ADJUSTMENT.—The dollar amounts in subparagraph (A) shall be adjusted—
(i) on January 1, 1997, to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index (as determined by the Secretary of Labor) since the date of enactment of this Act; and
(ii) on January 1 of each fourth year occurring after January 1, 1997, to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index (as determined by the Secretary of Labor) during the preceding 4-year period, rounded to the nearest $500.
(b) CONTENTS OF REGISTRATION.— Each registration under this section shall contain—
(1) the name, address, business telephone number, and principal place of business of the registrant, and a general description of its business or activities;
(2) the name, address, and principal place of business of the registrant’s client, and a general description of its business or activities (if different from paragraph (1));
(3) the name, address, and principal place of business of any organization, other than the client, that—
(A) contributes more than $5,000 to the registrant or the client in the quarterly period to fund the lobbying activities of the registrant; and
(B) actively participates in the planning, supervision, or control of such lobbying activities;
(4) the name, address, principal place of business, amount of any contribution of more than $5,000 to the lobbying activities of the registrant, and approximate percentage of equitable ownership in the client (if any) of any foreign entity that—
(A) holds at least 20 percent equitable ownership in the client or any organization identified under paragraph (3);
(B) directly or indirectly, in whole or in major part, plans, supervises, controls, directs, finances, or subsidizes the activities of the client or any organization identified under paragraph (3); or
(C) is an affiliate of the client or any organization identified under paragraph (3) and has a direct interest in the outcome of the lobbying activity;
(5) a statement of—
(A) the general issue areas in which the registrant expects to engage in lobbying activities on behalf of the client; and
(B) to the extent practicable, specific issues that have (as of the date of the registration) already been addressed or are likely to be addressed in lobbying activities; and
(6) the name of each employee of the registrant who has acted or whom the registrant expects to act as a lobbyist on behalf of the client and, if any such employee has served as a covered executive branch official or a covered legislative branch official in the 20 years before the date on which the employee first acted as a lobbyist on behalf of the client, the position in which such employee served. No disclosure is required under paragraph (3)(B) if the organization that would be identified as affiliated with the client is listed on the client's publicly accessible Internet website as being a member of or contributor to the client, unless the organization in whole or in major part plans, supervises, or controls such lobbying activities. If a registrant relies upon the preceding sentence, the registrant must disclose the specific Internet address of the web page containing the information relied upon. Nothing in paragraph (3)(B) shall be construed to require the disclosure of any information about individuals who are members of, or donors to, an entity treated as a client by this Act or an organization identified under that paragraph.
(c) GUIDELINES FOR REGISTRATION.—
(1) MULTIPLE CLIENTS.—In the case of a registrant making lobbying contacts on behalf of more than 1 client, a separate registration under this section shall be filed for each such client.
(2) MULTIPLE CONTACTS.—A registrant who makes more than 1 lobbying contact for the same client shall file a single registration covering all such lobbying contacts.
(d) TERMINATION OF REGISTRATION.— A registrant who after registration—
(1) is no longer employed or retained by a client to conduct lobbying activities, and
(2) does not anticipate any additional lobbying activities for such client, may so notify the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives and terminate its registration. ________________________________
Current through October 1, 2007— This compilation includes language from Public Law 104-65, as well as amending language from Public Laws 105-166 and 110-81. These materials are not official evidence of the laws set forth herein. Sections 112 and 204 of title 1 of the United States Code establish the rules governing which text serves as legal evidence of the laws of the United States.
For changes, after the closing date of this publication, to provisions of law in this publication, see the United States Code Classification Tables published by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the House of Representatives at http://uscode.house.gov/classification/tables.shtml.
On Sat, Dec 14, 2013 at 10:18 PM, Steve Horn <stevehorn1022 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi All:
>
> Was wondering if any of you had any idea what the legality is of doing
> consulting for a categorized 501(c)(6) organization (trade associations)
> and also being a paid staffer for the U.S. Senate at the same time? I
> discovered a huge scoop that fits this categorization and I'm now just
> trying to figure out the ethics laws behind it.
>
> In other words, not the "revolving door," but wearing two hats at the same
> time. This group does not register as a lobbying organization, but it is
> very influential in terms of being a PR machine.
>
> Please email me off-list if you can refer me to some legal resources that
> might lend an explanation to this inquiry, or on-list is fine, too.
>
> Thanks much and hope you're all having a great weekend.
>
> Very Best,
> Steve Horn
> ___________________________________
> http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk