Wednesday, August 06, 2008

New Disclosure Reports Provides Some Insight

The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 requires lobbyists and all lobbying organizations to file forms to the Senate and House by July 30 and Jan. 30 reporting contributions to political action committees, federal campaigns, and expenditures for events that honor officials covered by the law. A Wall Street Journal article describes some new understanding into lobbyists' contributions and other activity because of the new lobbying disclosure report, LD-203. "While many candidates decry special interests' influence in Washington, new reports show campaigns received $140 million from lobbyists in the first half of 2008." The public can search the disclosure reports in the House and Senate.

As of July 28, before the filing deadline, CQ Politics reported that "nearly $1.2 million is listed as 'honorary expenses' and another $300,000 as meeting expenses — all of it associated directly with either legislative or political events tied to lawmakers or government officials."

And CongressDaily ($$) details the confusion surrounding the new reporting requirements. "Lawyers advising clients on the LD-203 forms said guidance issued two weeks before the July 30 deadline caused a scramble to understand the changes. And lingering confusion over changes in requirements for reporting contributions by PACs and expenses at social events for lawmakers appears to have led to inconsistencies in those areas." The guidance might be revised before the next reporting deadline in January. Pam Gavin, the Senate's superintendant of documents, said; "In terms of the forms, it's as paint-by-the-numbers as you can get."