When you give a campaign contribution you have to certify that you are not a government contractor. Some of us who work for government contractors were a bit unsure as whether or not this regulation applied to us. What follows is my email exchange with the FEC:
Hello,
The company I work for has contracts with the Federal government and much of my work is in service of those contracts. However, I'm a salaried at-will employee and have no contract with the government directly. May I make contributions of my own money to candidates in Federal Elections?
Thanks,
Marcus
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Dear Mr. Graly,
This is in response to your question regarding federal contractors.
The Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) prohibits contributions from federal contractors. A federal contractor is defined as a person who "enters into any contract with the United States or any department or agency thereof either for the rendition of personal services; furnishing any material, supplies, or equipment; or selling any land or buildings." 11 CFR 115.1(a).
While the Act prohibits contributions from any person, group of persons, partnership, etc. who meets the above definition of federal contractor, nothing in the Act or Commission regulations prohibits employees of a federal contractor from making contributions or expenditures from his/her own personal assets. 11 CFR 115.6.
Accordingly, you may make contributions to federal candidates from your own personal assets, regardless of the federal contract status of your employer.
Hopefully this information is helpful to you. If you have further questions regarding federal campaign finance law, please contact the FEC's Information Division toll-free at (800) 424-9530 or locally at (202) 694-1100.
Sincerely,
Myles Martin
Technical Writer/Editor
FEC Information Division
Please note that the guidance provided by this correspondence is strictly informational and is NOT legally binding. Only the Commission, via the Advisory Opinion process, has the authority to issue a legally binding opinion.