New
Lobbying Reform and Ethics Rules: What You Need to Know When Interacting with
Federal Representatives
December 4, 2007
Duncan Smith and Eric Wang, attorneys with Blank Rome LLP, spoke to approximately 50 attendees regarding changes in lobbying practices necessitated by the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 signed by the President on September 14, 2007. The presentation, which was hosted by Blank Rome at its Washington, D.C. offices, specifically addressed changes made by the new law to the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, among other laws, as well as House and Senate gift rules.
Mr. Smith and Mr. Wang discussed the implications of the new legislation on lobbying registration and disclosure requirements, including more stringent reporting of a lobbyist's past legislative or executive branch employment and associational ties and more frequent filing of lobbying disclosure reports. The new ban on gifts (regardless of value) from registered lobbyists and their employers, and the limited exceptions to the ban, were also a focus of the group's discussion. The outline of changes in the law also included new travel restrictions and bundling and earmark disclosure requirements. The presenters fielded many questions from attendees about how the new rules will affect the way business may be conducted with congressional and executive branch employees.
This breakfast briefing represented the first event formally cosponsored by WIIT and one of its Corporate Members. WIIT looks forward to additional programming partnerships with Corporate Members in the future. Information regarding how to become a WIIT Corporate Member is available on WIIT's website (www.wiit.org).