Federal Criminal Defense for Politicians

Led by founding attorney Dr. Nick Oberheiden, our federal defense lawyers represent politicians, government officials, and private clients in campaign finance and other political law matters nationwide.

Campaign finance laws, lobbying laws, election laws, and various other laws and regulations at the state and federal levels place strict controls on financial transactions and contributions. Gifts, donations, investments, contract awards, and other forms of compensations and payment are subject to heavy oversight, and campaigns, campaign contributors, government officials, and others can face invasive audits and investigations. This means that compliance needs to be a top priority, and strategic defense by an experienced political law attorney  is required at the very first sign of a government inquiry.

As an experienced and dedicated political law firm, we at Oberheiden, P.C., provide comprehensive compliance representation for political action committees (PACs), campaigns, government officials, law firms, corporations, labor organizations, high-net-worth campaign contributors, and other individuals and organizations nationwide. We also provide vigorous defense representation for audits, investigations, and civil and criminal trials. With a practice focused on federal compliance and defense, and with multiple office locations across the United States, we have the experience, knowledge and resources required to effectively represent clients in all high-stakes campaign finance and political law matters.

About Oberheiden, P.C.

Oberheiden, P.C. is a federal compliance, defense and political law firm with a national presence. Founded by nationally-recognized political lawyer and media commentator Nick Oberheiden, Ph.D., our firm is comprised entirely of senior attorneys and expert consultants who are highly experienced in federal practice.

Many of our senior attorneys previously served as federal prosecutors with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. As a result of this federal government experience, we are able to offer our clients deep insights into the government’s enforcement priorities and investigative and prosecutorial tactics. In addition to providing effective defense representation, these insights also allow us to provide comprehensive compliance representation focused on keeping you and your organization or party out of the newspaper and out of the federal government’s cross-hairs.

Our Areas of Practice

Campaign finance and political law are unique areas of practice. The legal and regulatory regimes at the state and federal levels are extraordinarily complex, and the consequences of statutory and regulatory violations can be severe. However, it is possible to comply; and, when faced with an audit or investigation, it is possible to achieve a favorable resolution short of charges being filed.

Regardless of your role in campaign finance or politics, and regardless of whether you are at the early stages of an office bid or you need a team of republican lawyers who can help keep you in office, at Oberheiden, P.C., we have the skills to represent you. We handle all campaign finance and political law matters nationwide, including those involving:

Campaign Donations

Campaign donations are the lifeblood of any successful bid for public office. However, they are also fodder for national headlines that your opposition can use against you. Whether you are launching a campaign and need to know how to accept donations legally, you are a major campaign donor and you need compliance or defense representation, or you have any other questions about state or federal campaign finance law, our lawyers are available to guide you through matters including:

• Compliance with campaign contribution limits and prohibitions
• Compliance with pay-to-play laws
• Compliance with political action committee (PAC) rules and restrictions
• Compliance with government ethics rules and public corruption laws
• Internal compliance training for company or organization personnel

Gifts to Government Officials

As a government official, facing allegations of public corruption can have a devastating impact on your public image and your reputation as a public servant. However, if you are formally charged with public corruption or bribery, far more than your reputation will be at stake. Our political lawyers have experience representing public officials as well as private parties accused of making unlawful gifts in investigations under 18 U.S.C. § 201, 18 U.S.C. § 371, 18 U.S.C. § 641, and all other pertinent federal laws.

Lobbying Law Compliance

From a state and federal compliance perspective, lobbying is a world unto its own. Lobbying firms and individual lobbyists are subject to an arcane set of myriad complex rules and restrictions, and government officials must be cognizant of the legal limitations on lobbyists’ efforts as well. We represent lobbying firms, lobbyists, and government officials in registration and other matters under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007, and all other applicable state and federal laws and regulations.

Campaign Finance and Election Law Compliance

Campaign finance and election laws apply to candidates, campaigns, and contributors. Violations can often lead to exposure for multiple individuals, whether in the form of Federal Election Commission (FEC) administrative enforcement action, civil enforcement litigation, or criminal prosecution. Fundraising for communications, mobilization, travel, and other needs raises a host of potential legal issues, and our political lawyers have the knowledge and experience required to effectively guide clients though the maze of compliance requirements.

Political Action Committee (PAC) Compliance

We represent political action committees (PACs) and other 527 organizations in all aspects of legal and regulatory compliance. This includes formation and structuring, finance, compliance policy development and implementation, FEC registration, and other matters. Our attorneys are able to represent new and established authorized committees, political party committees, separate segregated funds (SSFs), and nonconnected committees across the country.

Federal Campaign Finance and PAC Audits

If your political organization or PAC is facing an audit, you must take a proactive approach in order to resolve the audit and quickly and favorably as possible. With our attorneys’ extensive experience in federal audits and investigations involving a broad range of laws and regulations, we can promptly intervene in the audit on your behalf and work to ensure that your organization is not unduly exposed to legal risk and reputational harm. When necessary, we also provide representation for federal campaign finance and PAC audit appeals.

We assist clients with internal campaign finance and election law compliance audits as well. Here, we focus our efforts on identifying potential issues before they trigger federal audits and investigations. Our attorneys can thoroughly assess the effectiveness your organization’s compliance efforts; identify and remedy any weaknesses; prepare updated compliance documentation; and, provide necessary training to executives, officers, managers, and other personnel.

Federal Election and Political Law Investigations

Our federal defense practice also includes representing clients in federal campaign finance, election and political law investigations. We provide representation for investigations involving the DOJ, FEC, and other agencies, and we work tirelessly to protect our clients against being formally charged. When a federal investigation has political implications, a quick and discrete resolution is necessary. We can work with federal agents and prosecutors on your behalf to steer the investigation toward a favorable outcome. Contact us today to discuss your federal investigation involving:

• The Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA)
• The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (McCain-Feingold)
• Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA)
• Pay-to-play laws
• Federal Election Commission (FEC) regulations
• Internal Revenue Code (IRC) or Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations
• Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) regulations
• Federal conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, or money laundering statute
• Other local, state, or federal election or campaign finance laws or regulations

FEC Actions, Civil Litigation, and Criminal Prosecutions

While the majority of our clients’ legal matters are resolved without litigation, our attorneys also have extensive track records in federal administrative, civil, and criminal matters. Whether you have been subpoenaed to appear before the FEC, you are facing tax court litigation with the IRS, or you are preparing to take on the DOJ in a federal criminal case, you can rely on our federal defense attorneys’ proven record of success. Even after charges have been filed, in many cases we have been successful in achieving favorable pre-trial results for our clients.

Put our highly experienced team on your side

Dr. Nick Oberheiden

Founder

Attorney-at-Law

Lynette S. Byrd

Former Department of Justice

Brian J. Kuester

Former U.S. Attorney
Former DA

John W. Sellers

Former Senior Trial Attorney
U.S. Department of Justice

Local Counsel

Joanne Fine DeLena

Former Assistant U.S. Attorney

Local Counsel

Joe Brown

Former U.S. Attorney & Former District Attorney

Local Trial & Defense Counsel

Amanda Marshall

Former U.S. Attorney

Local Counsel

Aaron L. Wiley

Former Federal Prosecutor

Local Counsel

Roger Bach

Former Special Agent (OIG)

Michael Koslow

Former Supervisory Special Agent (FBI)

Chris Quick

Former Special Agent (FBI & IRS-CI)

Ray Yuen

Former Supervisory Special Agent (FBI)

Clients We are Available to Represent

Our federal election lawyers and political lawyers are available to represent clients across the country, providing our clients with comprehensive political law firm services. Regardless of your needs and your role in the political process, we have the experience, legal acumen, and reputation you need on your side. We offer our services to individuals and organizations including:

• Government officials
• Candidates for public office
• Political party organizations
• Political campaigns
• Political action committees (PACs)
• Publicly-held and privately-held businesses
• Individual campaign donors
• Lobbying firms and lobbyists
• Labor organizations
• Trade associations
• Non-profit organizations (501(c) organizations)
• Financial institutions

How can we help you? Founding attorney Nick Oberheiden, Ph.D. and our other senior attorneys have represented government officials and private parties in compliance and enforcement matters across the country, and we can this experience to your advantage. To discuss your compliance needs, audit, or investigation in confidence, we encourage you to contact us immediately. Your initial consultation is free and confidential, and our attorneys can take emergency defensive action on your (or your organization’s) behalf if necessary.

Schedule a Confidential Initial Consultation with an experienced political law firm, choose Oberheiden, P.C.

At Oberheiden, P.C., we are ready and available, as a dedicated political law firm, to help you make informed decisions and strategic moves that protect you and your organization against unnecessary legal consequences. To speak with one of our experienced political lawyers in confidence, call 888-680-1745 or get in touch online now.