MERIT Act

Supported the Government by the People Act (H.R. 20), providing for a voluntary system of financing Congressional elections using a mix of small private donations and federal funds and establishing a refundable tax credit to encourage grassroots campaign donations. Supported the Empowering Citizens Act (H.R. 270), providing for a repair of the presidential public financing system, creating a similar public financing system for Congressional races, strengthening rules prohibiting coordinated spending by outside groups and ending individual candidate-specific independent-expenditure only committees (individual candidate-specific "Super PACs"). Supported the Voting Rights Amendment Act (H.R. 3899, S. 1945)to strengthen and amend the Voting Rights Act in the wake of the Supreme Court's opinion in Shelby County v. Holder. Supported the Supreme Court Ethics Act of 2013 (H.R. 2902, S. 1424) to require the Supreme Court to promulgate a Code of Ethics for the Justices of the Supreme Court that should include the 5 canons of the Code of Conduct for United States Judges adopted by the Judicial Conference of the United States, with an amendments or modifications that the Supreme Court determines appropriate. Supported S.J.Res. 19 and H.J.Res. 119, a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution permitting Congress and the states to set reasonable limits on the raising and spending of money to influence elections. Supported up-or-down Senate confirmation votes on nominations to the Election Assistance Commission. Supported the DISCLOSE Act (S. 2516, H.R. 148) to require disclosure requirements for corporations, labor organizations, Super PACs and other entities influencing elections with independent expenditures. Supported the Ending Special Mail Privileges for Congress Act of 2014 (H.R. 4872) to require congressional offices to affix postage stamps to franked mail and provide an accurate accounting system of actual costs of franked congressional mail. Supported the ETHICS Act (H.R. 5095) to require Members of the House of Representatives to undergo House Ethics Rules training. Supported the Lobbying and Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2014 (S. 2754) to limit campaign contribution bundling by lobbyists and prohibit congressional candidates and Members of Congress from soliciting campaign contributions while Congress is in session. Supported the Political Intelligence Transparency Act (H.R. 5525) to require political intelligence firms to register and comply with the same rules that apply to lobbyists. Urged House and Senate leaders to publish conference rules online in a manner that would be accessible to the public for purposes of government accountability. Urged House leaders to publicly and expeditiously announce their intent to continue the Office of Congressional Ethics in the next Congress. Urged the House Ethics Committee to adopt better disclosure of congressional travel, including by looking toward the Transparency in Government Act of 2014 (H.R. 4245) for improving access to disbursement information. Supported the MERIT Act (H.R. 5011) to prohibit conversion of leadership PAC funds into personal use and prohibiting campaign committees from paying relatives of candidates as staff.

Client expense: $30,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Making Every Representatives' Integrity Transparent Act (H.R. 5011) (Express support for provisions limiting personal benefit from campaign activities) FOIA Oversight and Implementation Act of 2013, H.R. 1211 (Strengthen FOIA by increasing disclosures, improving reporting, and narrowing exemptions) FOIA Improvement Act of 2014, S. 2520 (Support legislation) Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act, H.R. 1380 (Express support for public access to reports to Congress) Request better publication of information in the Foreign Agent Registration Act Database USA Freedom Act, H.R. 3361; USA Freedom Act S. 1599 (express opposition to weakening transparency requirements; urge stronger limits in the FISC) Transparency in Government Act of 2014, H.R. 4245 (Support legislation) Unintroduced legislation to make federal court opinions and orders available to the public Unintroduced legislation to amend the Rules of the House of Representatives to make the chamber more open and accountable and strengthen the office of congressional ethics

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Justice, Dept of (DOJ), SENATE

Making Every Representatives' Integrity Transparent Act (H.R. 5011) (Express support for provisions limiting personal benefit from campaign activities) FOIA Oversight and Implementation Act of 2013, H.R. 1211 (Strengthen FOIA by increasing disclosures, improving reporting, and narrowing exemptions) FOIA Improvement Act of 2014, S. 2520 (Support legislation) Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act, H.R. 1380 (Express support for public access to reports to Congress) Request better publication of information in the Foreign Agent Registration Act Database USA Freedom Act, H.R. 3361 (express opposition to weakening transparency requirements; urge stronger limits in the FISC) Congressional Research Service Electronic Accessibility Resolution of 2013, H. Res 110 (Express support for public access to widely-distributed CRS Reports) Public Online Information Act of 2014, H.R. 4312 and Public Online Information Act of 2013, S. 549 (Express support) Transparency in Government Act of 2014, H.R. 4245 (Support legislation)

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE