Memo to Candidates: Clean Your Email Lists.

Candidates send a lot of emails.  Even if the primary point of a message is to make a substantive announcement, they usually include a solicitation for a contribution.  Registered lobbyists have gotten caught in some culls of email addresses.  Candidates have been soliciting registered lobbyists for contributions.  This is against the law in Connecticut.

Here’s a regulation from the state’s election authority:

“Lobbyist Contribution and Solicitation Ban

While there are many ways a communicator lobbyist may participate in the political process,a communicator lobbyist may not contribute or solicit a contribution for the covered candidates and committees. The ban also applies to such lobbyist’s immediate family, andvpolitical committees established or controlled by a communicator lobbyist.

It is illegal to make, receive or solicit a prohibited contribution. Since contributions from communicator lobbyists are prohibited with respect to the covered candidates and committees, candidates or anyone associated with a candidate’s campaign are similarly prohibited from soliciting a communicator lobbyist for such contributions.

Read more: Declaratory Ruling 2006-1: Lobbyist Contribution and Solicitation Ban

Please direct questions to our Compliance Unit at 860-256-2925”