Berke | Farah LLP

Navigating the law of politics (and more)

Politics is a regulated industry. At Berke Farah LLP, we provide legal advice and counsel to help clients navigate all aspects of the political process – including campaign finance, election law, government ethics, presidential nominations and Senate confirmations, lobbying law, corporate anti-corruption compliance, government investigations, non-profits, and fundraising. Beyond politics, we also represent clients on white collar criminal defense, regulatory, corporate governance, intellectual property, and entertainment law. Our clients include Fortune 500 companies, national trade associations, lobbying and public relations firms, political committees and campaigns, elected and appointed government officials, artists, musicians, and writers.

Federal Lobbying Reports Reminder

By William J. Farah

This is to remind you that quarterly federal lobbying reports (Form LD-2)  are due Monday, October 20th.  This report will cover federal lobbying activity between July 1 and September 30, 2014.  (The next federal contribution report (Form LD-203) is not due until January 30th.)

 Also, for those of you responsible for your organization’s PAC filings, please note that, because this is an election year, federal PACs are subject to an additional fling requirement.  In addition to filing the usual monthly/quarterly report in October, federal PACs also file a pre-general election report, which is due October 23, 2014. 

Finally, with the November elections now less than 30 days away, PACs active in state and local elections should be mindful of any  irregular “pre-election” and other special (e.g., “24 hour/48 hour”) reporting requirements that may be applicable.  Filing errors occurring during the period immediately preceding an election are sometimes subject to more severe penalties and can attract media attention.   While trying to be responsive to candidate requests for contributions, please also be extra mindful of any filing and disclosure obligations those contributions may trigger for your PAC.