LobbyComply Pod - State and Federal Communications

LobbyComply Pod

Welcome to LobbyComply Pod: the newest extension of State and Federal Communications, and our LobbyComply blog.

Ryan Silvestro, Manager, Research Services, discusses restrictions on political contributions from lobbyists in this episode of LobbyComply Pod. Find out from Ryan about bans on contributions during legislative sessions, restrictions on activities beyond making direct contributions, and lobbyist contribution limits.

In this episode of LobbyComply Pod, Nola Werren, Assistant Director of Compliance Services discusses public contracts, political contributions, and how various jurisdictions handle reporting requirements for corporations seeking government contracts. Nola gives an expert analysis of pay-to-play laws in representative states and jurisdictions.

State and Federal Communications has a long history of providing a paid summer internship program to local college students. In this episode, Team Intern 2024 gives you a report about the work they did this summer at the company and the many networking, training, and volunteering activities they had outside of the office.

Meet these extraordinary interns as they get ready to say farewell and return to school!

Jim Sedor, Manager of News Services at State and Federal Communications produces News You Can Use, our weekly news update for ethics, lobbying, campaign finance, and procurement from across the United States and around the world. This podcast features two of the most egregious examples of wrongdoing in the past year. Don’t miss it!

Civil discourse never goes out of style! In this episode, Gamble Hayden, Coordinator of Federal Compliance Services, is here to talk about the importance of healthy dialogue and debate. As Gamble always says, there is no one and done in DEI!

2023 was an extraordinary year for our Corporate Social Responsibility program! In this month’s LobbyComply Pod, Joe May, Manager of CSR, shares more about our CSR program and recently released 2023 CSR Annual Report.

In this episode of LobbyComply Pod, Manager of Compliance Services, Matthew Gehring, Esq., discusses lobbying and social media. Matthew covers the differences between direct and indirect communication, and when social media posts may be considered lobbying.

In this episode of LobbyComply Pod, Assistant Director of Compliance Services, Jim Warner, covers state lobbying compliance and audits of lobbying disclosures. Jim talks about what to expect when you’re selected for an audit, how to respond, and what to include. Jim will also fill you in on which states conduct random audits and what you should look out for.

In this month’s episode, hear expert insight about federal lobbying registration and what to be aware of when lobbying the federal government from Rebecca South, Associate Director of Federal Compliance Services.

In this episode of LobbyComply Pod, Coordinator of Federal Compliance Services Gamble Hayden, discusses the rise in DEI Fatigue and ways to combat it.

In this episode 15, President and CEO Elizabeth Bartz reflects on how State and Federal Communications, Inc. has grown over 30 years. She shares her experience growing a business in government relations and her hopes for the future as we move to a new space and continue to grow.

In this episode, Associate Director of Research Services Michael Beckett, talks about a much used feature of our website where you can easily ask an expert any lobbying, campaign finance, or procurement lobbying compliance question. Michael walks through a few complex questions our expert compliance attorneys have answered for our clients, and the process used to provide the most accurate information.

In Episode 12 of LobbyComply Pod, Joe May gives an update on federal contribution limits for the 2023-2024 election cycle, the FEC’s update on the lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold, an update on party control in the Pennsylvania house, and much more from all across the country.

In Episode 12 of LobbyComply Pod, Joe May gives an update on federal contribution limits for the 2023-2024 election cycle, the FEC’s update on the lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold, an update on party control in the Pennsylvania house, and much more from all across the country.


In this episode, Manager of International Research Services, George Ticoras, will share some impressions of the regulated lobbying world outside the United States. George covers which countries have similar laws to the United States and which countries regulate lobbying disclosures differently. George also highlights some countries that have begun to introduce new lobbying laws!

In Episode 10 of LobbyComply Pod, Jon Spontarelli highlights some of the most engaging content we shared with the State and Federal Communications Community in 2022. Listen to find out our most read blog posts, highest performing content, and a surprising blog topic that keeps popping up!

In episode 9, our manager of Corporate Social Responsibility, Joe May, talks about the philanthropic efforts of State and Federal Communications. Listen as Joe fills you in on the great work our team does to give back to our community and what CSR means to us!

In Episode 8, we bring you some of the top government relations headlines from across the nation, including changes made by the FPPC, newly created registration and disclosure requirements for lobbyists in Louisville, KY, and more.

In episode 7 of LobbyComply Pod, we feature Gamble Hayden, Coordinator, Federal Compliance Services at State and Federal Communications. Gamble also spearheads our company’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts. Listen to this episode of LobbyComply Pod as she talks about her DEI journey and working to create an environment of learning and engagement.

In episode 6 of LobbyComply Pod, we bring you midterm election results and headlines from across the country. From a constitutional amendment in Arizona to establishing an ethics board in Maine, this was a very busy Election Day — and we are here to guide you through all the lobbying, campaign finance, and ethics election results. Take a few minutes, sit back, and let us fill you in on what you need to know!

In Episode 5 of LobbyComply Pod, we bring you some of the top government relations headlines from across the nation, including special sessions to be convened in California and Delaware, contribution restrictions in Illinois, and donor disclosure in Arizona. Happy listening!

In Episode 4 of LobbyComply Pod, we feature one of our most popular blog posts: Employee Personal Political Contributions, written by Nola Werren, Assistant Director, Compliance Services. Nola elaborates on this informative blog post and discusses topics such as preapproval prior to an employee’s contribution, coverage of pay-to-play laws, avoiding potential fines, and much more!

Episode 3 of LobbyComply Pod features government relations headlines from across the nation and in Canada: featuring special sessions and special elections, passed legislation, and upcoming ballot issues.


In episode two we discuss legislative updates, new ethics and lobbying laws, updated campaign finance rules, and special elections.

Welcome to LobbyComply Pod! What to expect from LobbyComply Pod? Here are some topics you can look forward to:

  • Government relations headlines including news about:
  • Ethics
  • Campaign finance
  • Lobbying
  • Elections
  • Legislative sessions
  • And much more!
  • Discussions from our team of expert compliance attorneys and professionals
  • Industry and company happenings