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LOBBYING REPORT |
Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (Section 5) - All Filers Are Required to Complete This Page
2. Address
| Address1 | P.O. Box 741 |
Address2 |
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| City | Amherst |
State | NY |
Zip Code | 14226 |
Country | USA |
3. Principal place of business (if different than line 2)
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5. Senate ID# 309470-12
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6. House ID# 385690000
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| TYPE OF REPORT | 8. Year | 2017 |
Q1 (1/1 - 3/31) | Q2 (4/1 - 6/30) | Q3 (7/1 - 9/30) | Q4 (10/1 - 12/31) |
9. Check if this filing amends a previously filed version of this report
| 10. Check if this is a Termination Report | Termination Date |
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11. No Lobbying Issue Activity |
| INCOME OR EXPENSES - YOU MUST complete either Line 12 or Line 13 | |||||||||
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| 12. Lobbying | 13. Organizations | ||||||||
| INCOME relating to lobbying activities for this reporting period was: | EXPENSE relating to lobbying activities for this reporting period were: | ||||||||
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| Provide a good faith estimate, rounded to the nearest $10,000, of all lobbying related income for the client (including all payments to the registrant by any other entity for lobbying activities on behalf of the client). | 14. REPORTING Check box to indicate expense accounting method. See instructions for description of options. | ||||||||
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Method A.
Reporting amounts using LDA definitions only
Method B. Reporting amounts under section 6033(b)(8) of the Internal Revenue Code Method C. Reporting amounts under section 162(e) of the Internal Revenue Code |
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| Signature | Digitally Signed By: Michael De Dora |
Date | 4/19/2017 12:44:20 PM |
LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.
15. General issue area code CON
16. Specific lobbying issues
- On January 6, we submitted a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee requesting that, during its confirmation hearing for Attorney General nominee Sen. Jeff Sessions, members inquire about Sessions long history of antipathy towards the role of the Department of Justice and the federal government in ensuring equal protection under the law for all Americans.
- In early February, a draft executive order by the Trump administration on religious freedom was leaked to the public. The draft order, Establishing a Government-Wide Initiative to Respect Religious Freedom, would grant individuals and corporations who claim a religious rationale a presumptive exemption from participat[ing] in activities that violate their conscience, and require all government agencies to review every existing and prospective order for compliance. CFI immediately urged the President Donald Trump to not issue the order.
The Center for Inquiry (CFI) has reviewed the order and considers it an unprecedented capitulation to the wish list of the Religious Right - a veritable religious blank check for conservative Christians to claim special privileges because of their religion and discriminate in almost every area of public life.
- On February 13, we issued an action alert urging all members of Congress and tell them to reject the Free Speech Fairness Act (H.R. 781 and S. 264), which would give religious leaders expanded influence in the political process.
- On March 8, we were amongst 86 religious and secular groups to write a letter to President Trump and members of Congress to urging them to preserve the Johnson Amendment and keep partisan politics out of 501(c)(3) organizations.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
U.S. SENATE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, President of the U.S.
18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area
| First Name | Last Name | Suffix | Covered Official Position (if applicable) | New |
Michael |
De Dora |
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19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None
LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.
15. General issue area code EDU
16. Specific lobbying issues
- On January 9, we submitted a letter to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions requesting that, during its confirmation hearing for Secetary of Education nominee Betsy DeVos, members thoroughly question Ms. DeVos regarding her history of supporting efforts to privatize public education, her beliefs about the importance of the public education system, and her plans for improving that system. We also issued an action alert urging all members of the Senate HELP committee to thoroughly question Ms. DeVos.
- On March 21, we issued an action alert urging all members of the U.S. House of Representatives to reject a bill, H.R. 1387, that would reauthorize the school voucher program in Washington, D.C. for five years, as well as expand the pool of recipients.
- Throughout the first quarter, we met with members of Congress to express concerns regarding Ms. DeVos and H.R. 1387. These offices include Sen. Tim Kaine, Sen. Maggie Hassan, Sen. Bill Cassidy, Rep. Paul Mitchell, Rep. John Faso, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, Rep. Andy Biggs, Rep. Trey Hollingsworth, and Sen. Cory Booker.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
U.S. SENATE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area
| First Name | Last Name | Suffix | Covered Official Position (if applicable) | New |
Michael |
De Dora |
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19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None
LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.
15. General issue area code FOR
16. Specific lobbying issues
- On January 11, we submitted a letter to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations urging that, during its confirmation hearing for Secetary of State nominee Rex Tillerson, members thoroughly question Mr. Tillerson regarding his close ties to the Russian government, including President Vladimir Putin, and his views regarding the role of advancing fundamental human rights in American foreign diplomacy.
- On January 18, we submitted a letter to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations to raise important issues regarding the confirmation hearing for South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
U.S. SENATE
18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area
| First Name | Last Name | Suffix | Covered Official Position (if applicable) | New |
Michael |
De Dora |
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19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None
LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.
15. General issue area code HCR
16. Specific lobbying issues
- On February 15, we issued an action alert urging all members of Congress to reject resolutions in the House (H.J. Res. 27) and the Senate (S.J. Res. 4) that would block the District of Columbia's Death With Dignity Act, which allows medical aid in dying, from being implemented.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
U.S. SENATE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area
| First Name | Last Name | Suffix | Covered Official Position (if applicable) | New |
Michael |
De Dora |
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19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None
Information Update Page - Complete ONLY where registration information has changed.
20. Client new address
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21. Client new principal place of business (if different than line 20)
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22. New General description of client’s business or activities
LOBBYIST UPDATE
23. Name of each previously reported individual who is no longer expected to act as a lobbyist for the client
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ISSUE UPDATE
24. General lobbying issue that no longer pertains
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AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS
25. Add the following affiliated organization(s)
Internet Address:
| Name | Address |
Principal Place of Business (city and state or country) |
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26. Name of each previously reported organization that is no longer affiliated with the registrant or client
| 1 | 2 | 3 |
FOREIGN ENTITIES
27. Add the following foreign entities:
| Name | Address |
Principal place of business (city and state or country) |
Amount of contribution for lobbying activities | Ownership percentage in client | ||||||||||
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28. Name of each previously reported foreign entity that no longer owns, or controls, or is affiliated with the registrant, client or affiliated organization
| 1 | 3 | 5 |
| 2 | 4 | 6 |