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DISCLOSE, Citizens United and states' experiences
Published on July 14, 2010
Category: Independent Speech
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Media mavens against Citizens United
Published on July 6, 2010 02:12 PM
Category: Disclosure, First Amendment, Independent Speech
Citizens United is in the news again nearly a month after the Federal Election Commission decided that the advocacy nonprofit with an active documentary arm qualified for the media exemption (CCP's Allison Hayward wrote about the competing FEC AO's in early June). The press exemption, a special privilege bestowed by Congress, allows entities deemed legitimate media corporations by the government to avoid complying with burdensome campaign finance regulations that apply to other corporatio
When deference is activism
Published on July 1, 2010
Category: Disclosure, Independent Speech, Jurisprudence & Litigation
As the Senate Judiciary Committee continues hearings on Solicitor General Elena Kagan's nomination to the Supreme Court, a number of the Court's critics, most prominently Senator Arlen Specter (D-Pa.), are using the opportunity to castigate the "judicial activism" of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. Ironically, their calls for deference to Congress, particularly in the campaign finance arena, would serve a result-oriented agenda more activist than anything thus far entertai
Riddle me this: Why are New Mexico politicians trying to chill Iceman's speech?
Published on June 25, 2010 02:02 PM
Category: Disclosure, First Amendment, Independent Speech
The First Amendment is supposed to prevent the government from being able to punish citizens simply for engaging in speech that the government does not approve. Apparently, word of this 200-plus year provision in our Constitution has yet to reach the northern parts of New Mexico. The Wall Street Journal on Monday reported the tale of longtime New Mexico resident and actor Val Kilmer and his efforts to get a permit allowing him to convert his ranch into a bed and breakfast...
Chamber of Commerce web video targets 'DISCLOSE Act'
Published on June 25, 2010 01:49 PM
Category: Disclosure, Expenditure, First Amendment, Independent Speech
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce premiered a new web video on the DISCLOSE Act, the unconstitional campaign finance bill that the House narrowly passed Thursday. Check it out:
Revisions to DISCLOSE on eve of House vote
Published on June 23, 2010 08:20 PM
Category: Contributions & Limits, Disclosure, Expenditure, First Amendment, Independent Speech, Political Parties, Stand By Your Ad
No fireworks exploded at this afternoon's House Rules Committee hearing on the DISCLOSE Act (H.R. 5175). First Amendment political rights, though, remain at serious risk of going up in smoke as the majority moves forward with an ill-advised bill to ban a significant amount of political speech that was legal even before Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. After two false starts (one before Memorial Day and the second last week), the Committee adopted a rule that provides for an
Waiting for Rules Committee? Like waiting for Godot . . .
Published on June 17, 2010 03:16 PM
Category: First Amendment, Independent Speech, Issue Advocacy
Reports are that the House Rules Committee meeting set today to craft the rule for considering the DISCLOSE Act has been postponed -- again. At some point, one must stop bailing water and abandon the ship. Grab your life jackets.
Gale forecast to hit campaign finance house of cards in AOR 2010-11
Published on June 16, 2010 03:59 PM
Category: Contributions & Limits, Coordination, Disclosure, Expenditure, Independent Speech
Perkins Coie's Mark Elias (the tall one) has submitted to the FEC an Advisory Opinion Request on behalf of "Commonsense 10." This group, unlike many, wants to be a federal political committee. They just want to behave like none before it, but raising and spending corporate, union and large individual contributions without regard to the limits imposed on committees by federal law. Then, they want to make unlimited independent expenditures in federal elections. "That's
Expenditures, Rachel Maddow and the Anti-Saloon League!
Published on June 16, 2010 11:08 AM
Category: First Amendment, Independent Speech, Issue Advocacy, Political Committees & 527s
Anybody acquainted at all with my work mus know how gleefully I responded to this segment from the Rachel Maddow show. While I haven't yet read Last Call, the book touted in the segment, I've read a number of other works on the Anti-Saloon League and their relentless advocacy of Prohibition at the state and national levels. We should all remember one factor that made their fight especially powerful. The Anti-Saloon League touted itself as a public education organization. It fought against attem
Smith and McGinley speak at Cato DISCLOSE Act event
Published on June 16, 2010 10:45 AM
Category: Coordination, Disclosure, Independent Speech, Internet Regulation, Stand By Your Ad
At a Cato Institute-sponsored panel discussion Tuesday, CCP Chairman Brad Smith and Patton Boggs attorney William McGinley elaborated on the latest congressional attack on free speech-the DISCLOSE Act. The Director of Cato's Center for Representative Government, John Samples, who moderated the event, has a podcast today focusing on the DISCLOSE Act. Video of Tuesday's event will eventually be posted on the Cato Institute website. Smith explained that the DISCLOSE Act seeks to make illega
