“Evading Reform: ‘527’ Committees Take the Field”
The Sacramento Bee offers this editorial.
Monthly Archives: April 2004
California’s Fair Political Practices Commission Considers Limits on Fundraising by Elected Officials for Ballot Measure Committees
See this Sacramento Bee report. Thanks to Aaron Lopez for the pointer.
“Not Ready for Prime Time? Why Voting Problems and Legal Challenges Could Mar the 2004 Presidential Vote”
I have just posted this commentary on Loyola Marymount University’s The Presidency 2004 website.… Continue reading
FEC Commissioner Mason’s Home Destroyed in Fire
Thankfully no one was injured. A short news item is here, but does not mention the identity of those in the home. Our best wishes to the Mason family. Thanks to a reader for passing this on. UPDATE: By… Continue reading
“Election Laws Pass Federal Muster”
See this A.P. report on Voting Rights Act preclearance in South Dakota.
120 House Democrats Send Letter to FEC on 527 Rulemaking
The letter is here. A snippet:
We support BCRA because we believe that the link between unregulated contributions and federal officeholders, candidates and their parties should be broken. We believe that the statute achieved this goal, striking a careful… Continue reading
“Norton Seeking Hearing on Voting Rights”
Roll Call offers this report (paid registration required), which begins: “Looking to build on a recent decision that found the United States in violation of international human rights laws, District of Columbia voting rights advocates are now pushing for a… Continue reading
“Push is On to Give Legal Immigrants Vote in New York”
The New York Times offers this report.
Two New Interesting Election Law Cases
Back on March 16, the Maryland Court of Appeals struck down a Maryland statute preventing candidates and political parties from paying “walking around money’ to workers on election day. The court applied strict scrutiny, and held that the ban was… Continue reading
527s in Iowa
See this commentary in the Des Moines Register. Thanks to Charlie Smithson for the pointer.
“MoveOn Staffer Moves on to Kerry Campaign”
A.P. offers this report. No doubt, the RNC and Bush campaign will bring this fact to the attention to the FEC to bolster the claim in their complaint of illegal coordination between the Kerry campaign and outside groups.
10th Circuit Decides Primary case
The Tenth Circuit has decided Beaver v. Clingman. The case involved the constitutionality of Oklahoma’s semi-closed primary objected to by one Oklahoma’s political parties. The case presented a pretty clear-cut application of two earlier Supreme Court cases holding that… Continue reading
Roll Call Recap of Comments Submitted to FEC on the 527 Issue
Be sure not to miss this article, if you have paid access. This article in The Hill may be accessed without charge.
Campaign Reform Groups’ Comments on 527s now available; Can the Groups (and FEC) Successfully Sidestep Key Political and Constitutional Questions?
Following up on this post, here are the comments of Democracy 21, the Campaign Legal Center, and the Center for Repsonsive Politics on the FEC’s upcoming proposed rulemaking on 527s organizations.
The groups advocate a major purpose test (similar… Continue reading