JCOPE: The Lobbying Act Does Not Apply to Political Parties

Last fall, NYPIRG filed a complaint with JCOPE (the Joint Commission on Public Ethics),  asking the state’s lobbying regulator to “undertake a review of the lobbying activities of certain political parties and holding that political parties must register as clients and lobbyists and report their activities if they otherwise meet the criteria under the law.”

NYPIRG cited media reports as well as the political party web sites regarding political party’s efforts to “influence legislation.”

The Times Union’s Capitol Confidential blog reports that JCOPE has responded to NYPIRG, saying that political parties are not required to register as lobbyists with JCOPE and report their lobbying activity.

JCOPE Executive director Letizia Tagliafierrro wrote:

“This Commission and its predecessors have never interpreted the Lobbying Act to require that political parties register as lobbyists. Absent an explicit grant of jurisdiction over political parties in the Lobbying Act, the Commission finds no basis to depart from this precedent.”

It will be interesting to see whether NYPIRG decides to press this issue, or to push for legislative action to address it.