United states court of appeals for the second circuit

 The ban on contractor contributions reads in full:

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(A) No state contractor, prospective state contractor, principal of a state

contractor or principal of a prospective state contractor, with regard to a

state contract or a state contract solicitation with or from a state agency in

the executive branch or a quasi-public agency or a holder, or principal of a

holder of a valid prequalification certificate, shall make a contribution to, or

solicit contributions on behalf of (i) an exploratory committee or candidate

committee established by a candidate for nomination or election to the office

of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Comptroller,

Secretary of the State or State Treasurer, (ii) a political committee authorized

to make contributions or expenditures to or for the benefit of such

candidates, or (iii) a party committee[.]

(B) No state contractor, prospective state contractor, principal of a state

contractor or principal of a prospective state contractor, with regard to a

state contract or a state contract solicitation with or from the General

Assembly or a holder, or principal of a holder, of a valid prequalification

certificate, shall make a contribution to, or solicit contributions on behalf of

(i) an exploratory committee or candidate committee established by a

candidate for nomination or election to the office of state senator or state

representative, (ii) a political committee authorized to make contributions or

expenditures to or for the benefit of such candidates, or (iii) a party

committee[.]

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 9-612(g)(2).

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Secretary of the State or State Treasurer”).  Id. § 9-612(g)(2)(A).  If the contract in question is “with

or from the General Assembly,” the contractor may contribute to a candidate for an executive office

but not to a candidate for the General Assembly.  Id. § 9-612(g)(2)(B).   Nonetheless, any “holder, or

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principal of a holder of a valid prequalification certificate,” such a certification being required in

order to bid or perform work on certain high-cost, state-funded projects, is precluded from

contributing to candidates for either branch of government.  Id. §§ 9-612(g)(2)(A)-(B).  Further, all

individuals and entities covered by the contractor ban are prohibited from contributing to any state

or town “[p]arty committee.”  Id. § 9-601(1)-(2).

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 The ban on lobbyist contributions reads in full:

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No communicator lobbyist, member of the immediate family of a

communicator lobbyist, or political committee established or controlled by a

communicator lobbyist or a member of the immediate family of a

communicator lobbyist shall make a contribution or contributions to, or for

the benefit of (1) an exploratory committee or a candidate committee

established by a candidate for nomination or election to the office of

Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Comptroller, State

Treasurer, Secretary of the State, state senator or state representative, (2) a

political committee established or controlled by any such candidate, (3) a

legislative caucus committee or a legislative leadership committee, or (4) a

party committee.

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 9-610(g).

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The CFRA’s ban on lobbyist contributions applies to any “communicator lobbyist,” defined

(a) as “someone compensated for lobbying over the threshold amount of $ 2,000 in any calendar

year,” Green Party I, 590 F. Supp. 2d at 295 n.3 (quoting State Elections Enforcement Commission

(SEEC) Declaratory Ruling 2006-1, at 2), and (b) as “a lobbyist who communicates directly or

solicits others to communicate with an official or his staff in the legislative or executive branch of

government or in a quasi-public agency for the purpose of influencing legislative or administrative

action,” Conn. Gen. Stat. § 1-91(v).  The ban on lobbyist contributions also applies to the “spouse”

or “dependent child” of a communicator lobbyist.  See id. § 9-610(g) (applying the ban to the

“immediate family” of a communicator lobbyist); id. § 9-601(24) (defining “[i]mmediate family” as

“the spouse or a dependent child of an individual”).

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B.

Solicitation Bans

The CFRA also prohibits contractors and lobbyists from “solicit[ing]” campaign

contributions “on behalf of” candidates for state office.  See Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 9-610(h),

9-612(g)(2)(A)-(B).  

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 For the full version of the ban on the solicitation of contributions by contractors, see note

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3, ante.

 The ban on the solicitation of contributions by lobbyists reads in full:

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No communicator lobbyist, immediate family member of a communicator

lobbyist, agent of a communicator lobbyist, or political committee

established or controlled by a communicator lobbyist or any such immediate

family member or agent shall solicit (1) a contribution on behalf of a

candidate committee or an exploratory committee established by a candidate

for the office of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State

Comptroller, State Treasurer, Secretary of the State, state senator or state

representative, a political committee established or controlled by any such

candidate, a legislative caucus committee, a legislative leadership committee

or a party committee, or (2) the purchase of advertising space in a program

for a fund-raising affair sponsored by a town committee, as described in

subparagraph (B) of subdivision (10) of section 9-601a.

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 9-610(h).

 The full statutory definition of “solicit” reads as follows:

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“Solicit” means (A) requesting that a contribution be made, (B) participating

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Like the CFRA’s ban on contributions, the ban on the solicitation of contributions applies

not only to current state contractors, but also to any “prospective” contractor; to any “principal” of

a contractor or prospective contractor; and to the “spouse” or “dependent child” of a contractor, a

prospective contractor, or a principal of a contractor or prospective contractor.  Id. § 9-612(g)(2).  

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The solicitation ban also applies to any “communicator lobbyists” and to the “spouse” or

“dependent child” of such a lobbyist.  Id. §§ 9-601(24), 9-610(h).

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The term “solicit” is defined by statute to include, among other things, “requesting that a

contribution be made,” “participating in any fund-raising activities for a candidate,” and “bundling

contributions” for a candidate.  Id. § 9-601(26).  Excluded from the statutory definition of “solicit”

is, among other things, “making a contribution that is otherwise permitted under this chapter” and

“informing any person of a position taken by a candidate.”  Id.

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