Although it has been a long winter, we have recently had a taste of spring (or maybe even summer) here in New Jersey. The warmer weather means that golf outing season is upon us. In the political world, this means that your company may soon be receiving invitations to sponsor a hole, beverage cart or foursome at a golf outing. Before you register for the golf outing, you should ask yourself the following questions:

• Who is hosting the event? Is it a political party committee, candidate committee, political action committee or not-for-profit entity?
• If the host is a political recipient, does your company currently hold or are you seeking contracts in the jurisdiction where the political recipient is located?
• Have you evaluated all applicable campaign finance and pay-to-play limits? Do they apply on a calendar year, per election or per election cycle basis?
• Are you inviting anyone outside of your company to attend as your guest? If so, are they an elected official or government employee? If they are, is your invitation in compliance with relevant gift rules?

To assist compliance with campaign finance pay-to-play and gift rules, these questions should be a part of your company’s internal review process for each and every political event you are asked to attend. The bottom line is that your company should not write a check without knowing the exact name of the recipient committee, how it is organized and whether the sponsorship will jeopardize your eligibility for current or future government contracts.