Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Means-Tested Exemption from Lobbying Ban?

True or False: Whether the laws of the United States governing the cooling-off period (currently one year) restrictions for former Congressional staffers to lobby their erstwhile offices apply depends upon the salary of these staffers.

Answer: True (per Public Law 101-194).

Now -- and no cheating -- staffers are exempt from these revolving door restrictions if they:

• A. Were at no point one of the top-two paid staffers in a Congressional office
• B. Received a total of $200,000 or more during their tenure as Congressional staffers
• C. Received less than 75 percent of the salary earned by the member of Congress they served
• D. Received no compensation at all during their service

Hint: what are the chances that someone chosing an answer at random will get it wrong?