Campaign Finance & Election Law

Overview

The laws that govern political activity are a labyrinth of complicated, and often inconsistent, federal, state, and local campaign finance and election laws. Given the 24-hour news cycle and the explosion of Internet content, even an innocent misunderstanding can result in embarrassing or adverse publicity, at best, or an enforcement action against you with the potential for fines and other penalties, at worst.

We work with businesses, nonprofits, and individual business owners—as well as candidates for office and those who support them—that engage in activities that may be covered by these rules. Compliance with these laws and regulations is particularly important during volatile election years.

What We Do

Corporate Political Activity and Corporate PACs

  • Assist corporations and corporate PACs with a wide variety of campaign finance and tax issues, including compliance with Federal Election Campaign Act (“FECA”), Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”), and nonfederal requirements
  • Facilitate PAC formation and handle recordkeeping and reporting responsibilities
  • Create and update 50-state charts regarding various aspects of state campaign finance laws
  • Design and implement training and compliance programs
  • Perform compliance audits
  • Counsel regarding direct corporate giving at the state level and independent spending in light of Citizens United

Candidates, Super PACs, and Non-Connected PACs

  • Advise candidate committees, super PACs, and non-connected PACs regarding campaign finance and election law issues at both the federal and state levels
  • Assist in formation, general governance, and relevant registration and reporting responsibilities
  • Design and implement training and compliance programs

State Election and Voting Laws

  • Monitor and advise regarding state election and voting laws, including topics such as voter registration, absentee ballots, get-out-the-vote (“GOTV”) efforts, robocalls, independent expenditure spending, and ballot measure initiatives
  • Create and update 50-state charts regarding relevant topics
  • Act as liaison with state and local officials when organizations undertake campaigns and outreach related to voter registration and GOTV

Pay-to-Play

  • Counsel companies that qualify as federal, state, or local contractors about rules related to restricting and disclosing political contributions
  • Create and periodically update 50-state surveys relevant to pay-to-play laws and potential legislation

Federal Election Commission (“FEC”) Advice and Enforcement

  • Represent companies and political committees in proceedings before the FEC seeking formal guidance or addressing alleged violations of campaign financing law
  • Represent clients before state or local campaign finance agencies in a similar manner