FARA ALERT. COVINGTON. “The proposed change to private sector reporting has significant implications for anyone engaged in the U.S. political system on behalf of entities based abroad, including U.S. subsidiaries of foreign headquartered businesses, U.S. companies with foreign subsidiaries or affiliates operating outside the United States, foreign individuals who travel to the United States to engage the U.S. political system on matters affecting their businesses, and U.S.-based lobbying, law, public relations, and consulting firms that provide services to individuals and companies abroad. This alert provides a summary of FARA’s registration and reporting requirements, as they relate to private sector entities, and reviews the Grassley legislation’s proposed amendments to the statute.”
TAX REFORM AND POLITICAL SPEECH. HILL. “The reduction of the top corporate tax rate to 20 percent in the GOP bill would impact four main areas: taxation of political committee investment income, taxation of political activity by nonprofits, the non-deductibility of lobbying and political expenses and the proxy tax paid by some trade associations.”
FEINGOLD ON REFORM. GUA. “The California Disclose Act, which passed the California Senate and Assembly with bipartisan support, requires political advertisements to list the top three donors of $50,000 or more.”
CA: LOBBYIST SPENDING. SB. “Those lobbyist employers spent $85.2 million trying to influence policy in the third quarter of the year, slightly less than the $86.4 million spent in the same period in the 2015-16 session, according to data from the California Secretary of State. Through the first nine months of the year, however, lobbyist employer spending stood at $253.6 million for 2017, nearly 8 percent more than the $235.5 million spent during the same period in 2015.”
MO: FIGHTING FINE. USN. “A former state lawmaker’s attorney argued to Missouri Supreme Court judges Tuesday that the former candidate shouldn’t have to pay $230,000 for alleged campaign finance violations.”
MO: COURT HEARS CASE. CM. “Wright-Jones and the campaign committee were required to pay 10 percent of fees, within 90 days of the decision.”
NY: NO RENT. CSNY. “New York City Council candidate Christopher Marte’s campaign headquarters at 230 Elizabeth St. is being leased to his campaign for free, his campaign manager told City & State.”
HAVE A GOOD DAY.