It’s a mechanism allied countries use, and is also sort of comparable to the federal lobbying registry. It opens up regulatory and criminal enforcement mechanisms simply for working on behalf of a foreign state without registering, even if the lobbying you engage in is not itself criminal. The principle is if you’re working on behalf of a foreign government, ours should get to know that.
As examples, a couple recent criminal charges from the U.S.:
Representative Henry Cuellar (D-TX) and his wife, Imelda Cuellar, are facing federal charges of bribery, money laundering, and violations of the ban against public officials serving as foreign agents required to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
www.wiley.law