Will I have to register as a lobbyist?

[Dingfod]

If this Senate bill becomes law it will require political bloggers with more than 500 readers to register and report quarterly to Congress the same as the big K. Street lobbyists. Because I do have some political content in my "blog", which has been viewed by almost 6000 times, will I have to register and report quarterly? No, because nobody is paying me for writing it. Being a paid seems to be the difference. I currently "blog" out of the kindness of my heart, but I would be willing to register and report if some wealthy sympathetic benefactor would make a large endowment to allow me to continue with my "blogging" on a professional basis.


What say you, rich benefactor types?


[space reserved for future Paypal donation link]

[lisarea]

I say read it. The American Family Association keeps sending me urgent alerts about this, but they always fail to mention this part:

(a) Definitions- Section 3 of the Act (2 U.S.C. 1602) is amended--

(1) in paragraph (7), by adding at the end of the following: `Lobbying activities include paid efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying, but do not include grassroots lobbying.'; and

(2) by adding at the end of the following:

`(17) GRASSROOTS LOBBYING- The term `grassroots lobbying' means the voluntary efforts of members of the general public to communicate their own views on an issue to Federal officials or to encourage other members of the general public to do the same.

`(18) PAID EFFORTS TO STIMULATE GRASSROOTS LOBBYING-

`(A) IN GENERAL- The term `paid efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying' means any paid attempt in support of lobbying contacts on behalf of a client to influence the general public or segments thereof to contact one or more covered legislative or executive branch officials (or Congress as a whole) to urge such officials (or Congress) to take specific action with respect to a matter described in section 3(8)(A), except that such term does not include any communications by an entity directed to its members, employees, officers, or shareholders.

`(B) PAID ATTEMPT TO INFLUENCE THE GENERAL PUBLIC OR SEGMENTS THEREOF- The term `paid attempt to influence the general public or segments thereof' does not include an attempt to influence directed at less than 500 members of the general public.

[...]

19) GRASSROOTS LOBBYING FIRM- The term `grassroots lobbying firm' means a person or entity that--

`(A) is retained by 1 or more clients to engage in paid efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying on behalf of such clients; and

`(B) receives income of, or spends or agrees to spend, an aggregate of $25,000 or more for such efforts in any quarterly period.'.

[Clutch Munny]

And Ding, if you do want to join the ranks of paid lobbyists? 5 words:

Global warming is junk science.

Warn your bank in advance about the avalanche of incoming funds, though.

[lisarea]

That part was just struck from the bill.

And that really sucks.