New Video: Corporate Political Spending and Foreign Influence Posted on April 20, 2018 (April 20, 2018) As part of Free Speech For People’s campaign to challenge foreign corporate money in our elections, we co-organized the event, Corporate Political Spending and Foreign Influence, at Harvard Law School on April 3, 2018, with Harvard Law Professor John Coates. The event featured Professor Coates, Harvard Law Professor Charles Fried, and Free Speech For PeopleRead More
Contaminating the Courts: Fighting Back Against a Corporate Campaign to Attack the Environment Posted on April 19, 2018 As Earth Day approaches, it’s time to take a look at an insidious attack on the environment that’s been spreading in recent years: a coordinated corporate campaign to undo protections for consumers and the environment by contaminating the courts with fabricated constitutional rights claims. Today, Free Speech For People and Greenpeace are releasing a jointRead More
Not So Fast Sheriff Joe Posted on April 17, 2018 (October 3, 2018) Ninth Circuit appoints special prosecutor in Arpaio Appeal of Criminal Contempt Conviction Today, the Ninth Circuit issued an order appointing a special prosecutor to defend the district court’s decision denying former sheriff Joe Arpaio’s attempt to vacate his conviction for criminal contempt. This marks a critical victory in the fight to secure an independent judiciaryRead More
Childcare, Women Candidates, and Political Equality Posted on April 13, 2018 (April 13, 2018) Today we filed a comment to the Federal Election Commission in support of a request for an advisory opinion by Liuba Grechen Shirley, a congressional candidate who needs childcare in order to be able to campaign for office. Our comment, which we submitted together with Demos and Professor Zephyr Teachout, supports Ms. Shirley’s request toRead More
New Resource Page: The Case That Could End Super PACs Posted on April 12, 2018 (October 3, 2018) Free Speech For People is excited to announce the launch of our new resource page dedicated to the landmark case that could end Super PACs, Lieu v. FEC. Super PACs have become one of the primary vehicles for wealthy donors to evade campaign contribution limits designed to prevent corruption and the appearance of corruption. LieuRead More
Video: Inclusivity and Intersectionality in the Pro-Democracy Movement Posted on April 10, 2018 (April 10, 2018) On March 25, 2018, Free Speech For People co-hosted the webinar, Inclusivity and Intersectionality in the Pro-Democracy Movement, featuring panelists sharing insight and tools to make the democracy movement more intersectional and inclusive by focusing on connecting with, learning from, supporting, and building with communities marginalized by systems of oppression. Panelists for the webinar includedRead More
In Remembrance of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Posted on April 4, 2018 (April 4, 2018) The most authentic way to honor my father is to commit to the work of creating a more peaceful, just, humane world. Let quotes coincide with conscious efforts to eradicate poverty, militarism and racism (privilege + power = oppressive policies + culture). #MLK50Forward #MLK pic.twitter.com/exUAp1E68q — Be A King (@BerniceKing) April 4, 2018 As weRead More
Join us at Harvard Law School for the lunchtime forum ‘Corporate Political Spending and Foreign Influence’ Posted on March 28, 2018 (March 28, 2018) Free Speech For People Legal Director, Ron Fein, will join Harvard School of Law Professors John Coates and Charles Fried for the lunchtime forum event, Corporate Political Spending and Foreign Influence. The speakers will discuss foreign influence in elections, how Citizens United opens the door to foreign influence through corporate political spending, and innovative legislative solutions (starting with our groundbreakingRead More
Challenging Super PACs Eight Years After SpeechNow Posted on March 26, 2018 (March 26, 2018) Eight years ago today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit decided SpeechNow.org v. FEC, the case that created super PACs. As explained by scholars and experts in political corruption and constitutional law, the SpeechNow ruling was legally erroneous at the time under Supreme Court precedent (including Citizens United). Unfortunately, then-Attorney General Eric Holder decided not to appeal SpeechNow to theRead More
Podcast: Centering Marginalized Communities Posted on March 26, 2018 (June 16, 2020) Defending Key Reforms Our Democracy Honors Fellow Jasmine Gomez joined Allie Boldt (from Demos) joined Laura Friedy on the Every Voice Podcast on how to take an intersectional approach to money in politics to bring new and necessary voices to the movement. Jasmine and Allie discussed their new framework for ensuring that historically marginalized communities — like communitiesRead More