Joe Sandler and Neil Reiff testified before the Federal Elections Commission Wednesday in response to the notice of proposed rulemaking addressing the definition of “federal election activity.”  Both proposed modifications to the definitions of “Get Out the Vote Activity” and “Voter Registration Activity” in response to the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in Shays v. FEC (Shays III).  Their testimony centered on the difference between encouragement and facilitation as far as federal election activity is concerned.

Read their comments and listen to the full testimony here.

Neil Reiff and Liz Howard were featured presenters at the recent compliance and finance training sponsored by Grassroots Democrats.
The training was designed to provide updated legal and strategic information to state party organizations from across the country.  Attendees included executive and finance directors as well as state party comptroller staff.   Reiff and Howard expect to do more training in the future.

Sandler Reiff & Young partner Joseph Sandler was quoted in the August 15, 2009 New York Times article by David M. Halfbinger regarding conversations between Karl Rove and Christopher J. Christie, the Republican candidate for New Jersey governor. Democrats argue Rove and Christie violated federal law, while the two Republicans say their conversations were casual.

Joseph Sandler, a Washington lawyer who has advised Democrats on Hatch Act compliance, said asking about advisers was clearly “laying the groundwork.” A call to Mr. Rove, he added, was almost by definition impermissible. “Asking the top political professional in America who he should get educated with in contemplation of a candidacy — that’s not a casual conversation with friends at a cocktail party,” he said.

The full article can be found here.