Garrett Perdue is not registered as a federal lobbyist.

But lobbying law experts say he doesn't have to — until he has a client.

Under federal law, people who lobby Congress must register with the House Office of the Clerk and the Senate Office of Public Records within 45 days of starting work on behalf of a client.

Neither has a record of Garrett Perdue, son of Gov. Beverly Perdue and a lobbyist with the white-shoe law firm Womble Carlyle.

But Massie Ritsch, a spokesman for the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics in Washington, said that could mean Perdue does not have any federal clients.

"Unless you have someone you're representing, there's no obligation to register as a lobbyist," he said.

Perdue, who was hired on Feb. 16, will have worked for Womble Carlyle for 45 days tomorrow.

Seven of the state's eight Democratic Congressmen say they have not heard from Perdue. 

GlaxoSmithKline will no longer give directly to politicians.

The drugmaker announced Monday that it will stop making direct political contributions in about 20 states where they are currently legal. Such giving is illegal in North Carolina and under federal law governing Congressional candidates.

The company gave $585,425 to candidates this year. 

"If this is the company's way of saying they're not interested in getting special access and trying to influence (lawmakers') thinking through money, that's worth applauding," said Massie Ritsch, a spokesman for the Center for Responsive Politics in Washington. "But on a practical basis, this won't make a lot of difference."

The company will continue its lobbying efforts, which it spent $8.2 million on last year, and support a political action committee run by its U.S. workers that gave more than $1.5 million. (N&O)

Mark Binker checked the N.C. Republican Party's complaint against Kay Hagan.

In the Inside Scoop column, the Greensboro News & Record reporter looked into the state GOP's complaint with the Federal Election Commission that the Democratic Senate nominee did not properly fill out paperwork on donations jointly made by spouses.

Massie Ritsch, with the Center for Responsive Politics, more tactfully pointed out that husbands and wives who shared a bank account were allowed to give at the same time on the same check.

"This is an accounting complaint that appears to be geared more toward getting attention than getting enforcement," Ritsch said.

And, he pointed out, Dole's campaign had similar contributions on its own expense form.

"They are just trying to put their opponents on the defensive for something that happens fairly commonly," Ritsch said.

He writes that the Hagan campaign had no comment on the issue.