Lobbyists Prepare for New Disclosure Reports
by Amanda Adams*, 5/7/2008
BNA Money and Politics ($$) reports that registered lobbyists will soon have to start reporting their political and charitable contributions, "and to swear that they have not violated congressional gift rules." The new form will be known as LD-203 and will be available in June. The first reports are due July 30.
"Yet, the congressional officials in charge of implementing the new disclosure system have provided no guidance, forms, or even computer passwords that thousands of lobbyists will need to comply with the new disclosure system required by the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007."
This reporting will apply not only to lobbying firms and organizations with in-house lobbyists; individual lobbyists also will have to report their campaign contributions and payments to charities linked to officials. Lobbying organizations and individual lobbyists will use the new forms to report their contributions, as well as payments for events honoring government officials, or charitable contributions to entities linked to members of Congress.
