You are a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the Seventh District of Washington. You have set up a legal defense fund named the Jim McDermott Legal Expense Trust ("Legal Expense Trust " or "Trust") for the purpose of paying legal expenses arising from the case of Boehner v. McDermott, a matter which is now pending before the U.S. Supreme Court. This fund is "separate and apart" from your principal campaign committee. You state that Representative Fortney H. (Pete) Stark of California and other members of Congress have offered to donate excess campaign funds to the Legal Expense Trust and have authorized you to ask whether such donations would be permissible under the Act.
Under Senate ethics rules, such accounts can accept up to $10,000 a year from individuals, PACs or corporations, but not from registered lobbyists or foreign agents.