Giacona: Association Creating New Advocacy Opportunity for Members

7 June 2022

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With the 2022 Midterm Elections less than six months away, IADC wanted to improve upon its advocacy efforts. At the offset of Q2 2022, IADC began offering an Advocacy Membership option as a separate Membership category. The new Advocacy Membership is available to individuals who wish to engage directly with IADC’s Political Action Committee, DrillersPAC. The Political Action Committee (PAC) funds are used strategically to advance IADC’s advocacy efforts with policy makers who support the industry.

Background on DRILLERSPAC

Registered in spring of 2017, the DrillersPAC has been IADC’s official vehicle for supporting political candidates aligned with the Association’s policy goals in Washington D.C.

“DrillersPAC is one of the most critical pieces of our federal advocacy toolkit,” said Matt Giacona, IADC’s Director of Government & Industry Affairs and DrillersPAC Treasurer.

During the 2020 election cycle, IADC raised over $40,000 from 70+ contributors. With these funds, the DRILLERSPAC allocated funds to support 19 bi-cameral and bi-partisan candidates from eight different states.

Giacona continued:

As the only federal PAC in existence specifically advocating for the interests of drilling contractors and their workers, DrillersPAC gives our industry its own political voice and fundraising platform. Keeping the PAC funded is key to maintaining relationships with federal candidates who support pro-drilling policies in Washington.

Improving upon DRILLERSPAC

As a non-profit trade association, US campaign finance laws limit most of the ways the Association can raise more additional funds for DRILLERSPAC. The overly narrow manner in which these finance laws are implemented makes asking for donations a complex process mired in legalistic caveats. Under these laws, associations are treated differently than typical political fundraising groups, which has inhibited IADC’s ability to maximize its fundraising efforts.

Other than solicitation from staff or member volunteers, the Association is barred from any other form of direct efforts to raise money for its Political Action Committee or other capacity building activities on behalf of industry advocacy organizations outside its PAC structure.

In spite of the Federal Election Commission’s restrictive statutes, associations are allowed to sign up individuals as members, completely separate from their company’s membership. Once made an individual member, a person may then be solicited for fundraising, informed about events, and contacted about donation opportunities without prior approval or consent from their employer.

Benefits of IADC’s New Advocacy Membership

For those outside the oil and gas industry, it’s difficult to understand how complicated and complex oil drilling is. Those working in the industry are often motivated to support efforts that help the industry as a whole improve its messaging. That’s why the IADC Executive Committee approved this new type of membership.

In addition to offering a direct method to politically support the industry and IADC, signing up for an Advocacy Membership makes a member eligible to receive invitations to DrillersPAC events, such as skeet shoots, golf outings, dinners, and raffles.

Unlike IADC’s other Membership categories, Advocacy Members receive no privileges or benefits from IADC, other than the ability to communicate with DrillersPAC staff and attend DrillersPAC events.

Requirement to Sign Up for Advocacy Membership

Given the Federal Election Commission’s campaign finance laws, individuals must be a United States citizen or permanent resident (green card holder), and may work in any industry or for any company.