Essential Ethics

Latest Developments: The Center for Political Accountability released the 2023 CPA-Zicklin Index of Corporate Political Disclosure and Accountability, which analyzes disclosure and accountability of corporate political spending. The 59-page report includes lists of the top 100 trendsetters, the most improved,…

Latest Developments: The United States Department of Justice posted several opinions relating to the Foreign Agents Registration Act, including an opinion regarding whether a foreign company that acts as a foreign trade association must register under FARA (FARA…

Latest Developments: The California Fair Political Practices Commission adopted a regulation (Item 7, Regulation 18318) to permit its Executive Director to enter into settlement agreements in satisfaction of monetary penalties if certain conditions are met. Campaign Legal Center…

Latest Developments: California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office issued Opinion No. 23-101, declaring that “the disclosure, recusal, and cure provisions of Senate Bill No. 1439 (amending Government Code section 84308) do not apply retroactively to political contributions made before January…

Latest Developments: California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 29, which authorizes the Fair Political Practices Commission to establish and administer an education program as an alternative to an administrative proceeding for low-level violators, much like traffic school. The eligibility requirements…

Latest Developments: North Carolina House Bill 259 became law without the Governor’s signature. The 635-page law is primarily an appropriations bill but contains two important changes for lobbyists. First, it doubles registration fees for lobbyists and lobbyist employers from $250…

Latest Developments: The Indiana Supreme Court, in Indiana Right to Life Victory Fund v. Morales, upheld the state’s ban on corporate contributions to Super PACs earmarked for independent campaign-related expenditures. Procedurally, the court answered a certified question…

Latest Developments: The U.S. Department of Justice announced that a former U.S. Ambassador was sentenced to 36 months’ probation and fined $93,350 for lobbying in violation of revolving door restrictions and failure to disclose gifts received while in office. The…

Latest Developments: The Governor of California signed AB 421, which revises referendum procedures, including changes to the way a measure is described on the ballot, permitting withdrawal of a measure similar to the process for withdrawing…

Latest Developments: The San Jose, California, City Council adopted changes to the city’s ethics laws that includes eliminating penalties for filing late lobbying disclosures and reducing revolving door restrictions from two years to one year. San Jose Spotlight explains that among the…