Chapter 3: Lobbying

Legislative History

100

This Amendment to the U.S. Constitution recognizes the right to lobby, specifically, "the right to petition the government to redress grievances"

The 1st Amendment

200

Passed in 1946, this law is was the first generally applicable lobbying bill 

Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act

300

This Case rewrote and narrowed the Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act

US v. Harriss

400

Statute or Act used by the Government to prosecute corruption

Hobbs Act or 18 U.S.C. 201

500

This U.S.C. provision allows the Federal Government to prosecute someone engaged in a scheme to defraud 

18 U.S.C. 1341

Definitions

100

The activity of seeking government action, usually through legislators and their staff

Lobbying

200

When a Government Official agrees to take anything of value in exchange for an official act

Bribe

300

This is the practice of lobbyists taking a percentage of the contracts they help a client procure

Contingent Fee Lobbying

400

When a government official or employee of one, commits a crime or accepts a crime as a favor to perform an official act

Illegal Gratuities

500

This term refers to the act of mobilizing individual citizens to contact legislators

Grassroots Lobbying

Name That Act

100

This act required registration for lobbyists and quarterly reports on money used in lobbying activities

Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act 

200

This act expanded the Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act to include registration requirements for lobbying of congressional staff 

Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA)

300

This act strengthened the Lobbying Disclosure Act by making reports more frequent and more easily accessible 

Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 (HLOGA)

400

This 1938 law requires agents of foreign countries to file periodic reports with the government

Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA)

500

18 U.S.C. 201(b) is also known as this Statute

Federal Bribery Statute 

Scandals

100

Elected in 1998, this former Alabama Governor was the center of a bribery scandal involving the state lottery and private company, HealthSound

Don Siegelman 

200

The House Leadership and Open Government Act (HLOGA) of 2007 was passed in part due to the actions of this lobbyist

Jack Abramoff

300

This former Virginia Governor and his wife, Maureen, were accused of accepting $175,000 in loans, gifts, and other benefits from a Virginia businessman 

Robert McDonnell

400

This 1993-1994 U.S. Secretary of Agriculture faced scrutiny over his acceptance of $2,300 in U.S. Open Tennis Tournament Tickets and $2,400 in luggage

Mike Espy

500

This former U.S. House Majority Leader accepted lavish trips such as a $70,000 golf trip to Scotland for him, his wife, and two aides

Tom DeLay

Name That Case

100

This Case held that lobbying related expenses are not tax deductible

Cammarano v. United States

200

This Case held that the lobbying ban on tax exempt 501(c)(3) organizations did not violate the First Amendment 

Regan v. Taxation with Representation of Washington

300

The U.S. Supreme Court rejected level the playing field arguments and narrowed the definition of "corruption" to justify campaign finance laws in this Case

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission

400

District Court Judge Myron Thompson authored the opinion in this campaign finance case which asked the U.S. Supreme Court to more precisely define the word, "bribe"

U.S. v. McGregor

500

This recent Sixth Circuit Case rejected First Amendment challenges to a Kentucky Law banning campaign contributions from lobbyist employers during the legislative session 

Schickel v. Dilger