Why tariff lobbying may trigger FARA

Politico highlights a recent Covington alert examining how lobbying on aluminum and steel tariffs may have FARA implications. "Companies that are engaging with Congress and the executive branch on trade issues may be surprised to find that their advocacy could have FARA implications," the alert reads. "FARA is a notoriously tricky statute, with broadly worded triggers, complicated statutory and regulatory exemptions, and a complex history of Department of Justice legal interpretations that are not publicly available. It may seem strange to suggest that lobbying on commercial tariffs could have FARA implications, but Congress and the Department of Justice considered a very similar situation nearly thirty years ago and reached surprising conclusions."