With the end of the Biden Administration, the start of the Trump 2.0 Administration, and a change of power in the U.S. House, the steady churn of high-skill professionals moving in and out of government positions has reached an all-time high. Indeed, beyond the typical cadre of newly unemployed political
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Perrin Cooke
Perrin Cooke is special counsel in the firm’s Washington, DC office and a member of the White Collar Defense and Investigations, Election and Political Law, and Public Policy Practice Groups, with a focus on assisting clients responding to high-profile congressional investigations.
Drawing on his experience in government, most recently as Deputy General Counsel at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Perrin advises clients on matters presenting significant legal, political, and reputational risks. During the Biden Administration, Perrin served as the lead attorney on oversight matters across two federal agencies. In this capacity, he guided the development of strategic responses to congressional requests and subpoenas touching on a range of topics. Through his work in both government and private practice, Perrin has extensive experience preparing witnesses – including numerous corporate executives, cabinet secretaries, and other senior government officials – appearing in briefings, transcribed interviews, and hearings before congressional oversight committees.
In addition to his investigations practice, Perrin advises clients – including political campaigns, advocacy organizations, trade associations, and corporations – on a wide variety of election and political law compliance matters.
House Judiciary Committee Holds Hearing on Foreign Agents Registration Act Reform
The House Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties held a hearing on Tuesday on potential reform of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (“FARA”), the first FARA hearing by the House Judiciary Committee in over 30 years.
FARA is an arcane statute that requires “agents of…
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January 6 Committee Filing Provides Further Support for Parties Asserting Attorney-Client Privilege in Congressional Investigations
Yesterday, the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol filed a highly consequential brief in ongoing litigation relating to a subpoena seeking documents involving attorney John Eastman’s alleged participation in efforts to thwart Congress’s certification of the results of the 2020 Presidential election. …
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Considering the Broader Implications of Cruz v. FEC
Late last week, the Supreme Court indicated that it intends to review a challenge by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) to federal limits on the use of post-election contributions to repay pre-election loans that candidates make to their own campaigns. This follows an earlier three-judge district court decision that struck down…
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Recent Developments Shed Further Light on Congressional Subpoena Authority
Back to Square One in the Courts
Historically, investigators on Capitol Hill have relied on civil enforcement proceedings to enforce their subpoenas and compel the production of sought-after documents or testimony. As we detailed in November, however, the D.C. Circuit cast doubt on the ability of investigators in the House to pursue this common avenue for enforcing its subpoenas.
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Understanding H.R. 1 (Part 1): Corporate & Trade Association Campaign Activity
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Continue Reading Understanding H.R. 1 (Part 1): Corporate & Trade Association Campaign Activity
Congressional Investigations with a Democratic House and Senate
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The Supreme Court’s Mazars Decision Contains a Significant Suggestion That Congress May Be Bound by the Attorney-Client Privilege in Congressional Investigations
D.C. Circuit Rules Obstruction of Office of Congressional Ethics Not a Crime, but Questions and Risks Remain
In a unanimous ruling, the D.C. Circuit shed new light this week on the applicability of key federal criminal statutes on proceedings before the Office of Congressional Ethics (“OCE”). While largely removing the prospect of criminal obstruction liability for parties responding to inquiries from OCE, the court’s opinion is…
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House Leaders Push Ahead with Proposal for Virtual Oversight
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Continue Reading House Leaders Push Ahead with Proposal for Virtual Oversight