Latest Developments

A Turning Point for Impeachment
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Free Speech For People President, John Bonifaz, joins Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib in an op-ed for the Detroit Free Press detailing the case for impeachment proceedings against the President.
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Ben Clements Joins Frances Rivera on Weekends with Alex Witt
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On December 29, 2018, Free Speech For People Board Chair, Ben Clements, joined MSNBC’s Frances Rivera on Weekends with Alex Witt to discuss the latest on the investigation of the President by Special Counsel Robert Mueller and the investigation of Trump’s business interests, including the Trump Organization. Free Speech For People recently renewed our call
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New study shows how small-donor matching funds can help reduce influence of big money
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Today, the Campaign Finance Institute released a new study analyzing the potential impact if New York state reforms its campaign finance legislation to include tighter contribution limits, a ban on limited-liability companies (LLCs) from making contributions, and a small donor matching fund program modeled on the one in New York City. The Institute concludes that
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Impeachment Media Round-Up
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Impeachment has been in the news lately with the recent sentencing of Donald Trump’s personal attorney, Michael Cohen, and as the Mueller investigation continues. But we’ve known of Trump’s impeachable offenses since he took the oath of office. Check out our round-up of the latest news on impeachment proceedings against the President: WBUR: It’s Time
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Our Comment on the Federal Election Commission’s Draft Opinion Rejecting a Special Cryptocurrency Loophole
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Today, we submitted a comment on the Federal Election Commission’s draft opinion rejecting a proposal by a company called OsiaNetwork LLC that would allow unlimited campaign contributions in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency on the theory that automated cryptocurrency mining is a form of “volunteering.” We believe the draft opinion is correct in its rejection of the “volunteering” exception, but
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McConnell v. FEC, 15 Years Later
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Democracy Amendments

Today is the fifteenth anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in McConnell v. Federal Election Commission, a case that points to a future that could have been. The case The case was born out of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, also known as McCain-Feingold after its two Senate sponsors, John McCain (R-Ariz.)
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Harvard Law and Policy Review: Exposing Exxon’s Ham-Fisted Attempts to Wield a Weaponized First Amendment
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In an article for Harvard Law and Policy Review, Free Speech For People Senior Counsel, Shanna Cleveland, details Exxon’s misuse of the First Amendment, and fabricated claim of corporate constitutional rights, to evade accountability for potentially misleading statements made by the corporation regarding the impact of fossil fuels on climate change. Exxon’s claims of free
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Closing a Dangerous Loophole in Massachusetts’ Campaign Finance Practice
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Few Americans want to see more money in politics these days. In fact, almost 80% favor limiting big donations, voicing concerns about the integrity of our democracy. But today Free Speech For People will be testifying at a public hearing to close an arbitrary loophole that has been allowing politically savvy groups to avoid registering
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Ben Clements joins Weekends with Alex Witt to Discuss the Mueller Investigation
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On December 2, 2018, Free Speech For People Board Chair, Ben Clements, joined Weekends with Alex Witt on MSNBC to discuss the latest developments in the investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller and holding the President accountable to the law. In addition to the Mueller investigation, Free Speech For People launched, in January 2017, a
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