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The Federal Election Commission has published the new contribution limits for the 2009-2010 cycle.

Interview with Charlie Cook for Law and Ethics Online: On Lobbying and Ethics Reform

Quotable Quotes

"Since Washington DC is largely run by lawyers, it should come as no surprise to anyone that lawyers and law firms find themselves the hired communicators of the politically active. The Top DC lobby firms reads like a who’s who of the Bar Association. If one truly seeks to stop all hired lobbying in Washington DC, one should begin by not sending any more lawyers to Washington DC."

JB Williams
Canada Free Press
July 23, 2008

FEC Responds to Citizens United
2.5.2010

On Friday, February 5, 2010, the Federal Election Commission announced that, in light of the Supreme Court's decision in Citizen's United v. FEC, it will not enforce statutory and regulatory provisions barring corporations and labor unions from making independent expenditures or electioneering communications. The Commission reiterated, however, that Citizen's United does not affect the ban on contributions by corporations and labor unions in 2 U.S.C. § 441(b). The Commission's announcement can be found here.

Recent Postings

United States Supreme Court Strikes Down Ban on Corporate Expenditures and Issue Ads
1.22.2010

On January 21, 2010, the United States Supreme Court issued its decision in Citizens United v. FEC, 558 U.S. ___ (2010). In a 5-4 ruling, the Court struck down laws banning independent electoral and issue advocacy sponsored by non-profit and for-profit corporations.

Read More|Related Postings

FEC Deadlocks on Enforcing Timely Compliance with Requirement that Company Help Union Collect PAC Money
1.21.2010

The Federal Election Commission recently dismissed an enforcement case against a company that waited over 18 months before responding to a request to implement a payroll deduction program for its union workers. See MUR 6206. BASF Corporation, a chemical company headquartered in Germany, had set up a system for its U.S. management employees to make payroll contributions to the company's PAC. Consistent with the Federal Election Campaign Act and Commission regulations, United Steelworkers ("USW") asked that the company set up a similar system for union employee members to make payroll contributions to the union PAC. USW made its written request in 2007; BASF did not respond or acknowledge its obligation to provide the payroll deduction program until June of 2009.