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Capabilities / Political Ethics & Election Law

Political Ethics & Election Law

Setting a political agenda.

Husch Blackwell Political Ethics & Election Law team helps clients stay abreast of the federal, state, and local rules that govern lobbying, campaign finance, and individual and corporate political contributions. We have extensive experience with establishing and maintaining political action committees (PACs), including preparation and review of PAC disclosure forms for submission to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), ethics compliance, and representation in FEC enforcement matters.

Our political law team advises clients on House, Senate, and executive branch ethics rules, including limits on gift and travel, prohibited activities, and reporting requirements. We assist with preparation and review of registration and quarterly lobbying disclosure forms for Congress and provide guidance for in-house executives. Additionally, our attorneys provide litigation support when violations of campaign finance or election laws are alleged.

Representative Experience

  • Secured victory in expedited proceedings before a St. Louis County judge on behalf of three St. Louis County Council members sued by the St. Louis County Counselor in a dispute over leadership of the County Council for the 2021 calendar year; the win brought to a close a two-month struggle to determine the leadership of the St. Louis County Council.
  • Successfully intervened in two lawsuits and secured placement on the August 2020 ballot for an initiative petition to expand eligibility of Medicaid in Missouri; the plaintiffs had challenged the legality of the Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft’s certification as sufficient of an initiative petition proposing a constitutional amendment
  • Secured victory in Wisconsin Supreme Court for a political party and voter plaintiff seeking declaration that county and county clerk lacked authority to issue interpretation of Wisconsin's election law allowing all electors in county to obtain absentee ballot without photo identification, and that governor's emergency order did not authorize all Wisconsin voters to obtain absentee ballot without photo identification.
  • Secured a federal appeals court victory for Missouri state representative Cheri Toalson Reisch when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit reversed a lower court’s decision that Rep. Toalson Reisch violated the plaintiff’s rights by blocking him and others from her Twitter account.
News Releases | January 17, 2023
Husch Blackwell's Vane Earns Texas Board of Legal Specialization Certification for Legislative and Campaign Law

The Texas Board of Legal Specialization Certifies Mark Vane for Legislative and Campaign Law

News Releases | September 09, 2019
Mark Vane Earns Multiple 2019 Recognitions for Governmental Relations Practice

Based in Husch Blackwell’s Austin office, Vane is a sought-after resource for companies across multiple industries who seek to have a voice on high-stakes issues at the Texas State Capitol and with state agencies.

Ninety percent of the work that we do is for the U.S. government, and we needed boots on the ground in D.C. to help us out. [Husch Blackwell professionals] in the D.C. office are making the contacts and helping us develop relationships. They have opened so many doors. The outcomes have been tremendous.

Reachel Beichley, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, MRIGlobal