Free Speech For People Files Opposition to FEC’s Motion to Dismiss Russian Election Interference Case Posted on August 25, 2022 Challenging Corruption The nonpartisan, nonprofit organizations Free Speech For People (FSFP) and Campaign for Accountability (CfA) have filed their opposition to the Federal Election Commission’s (FEC) motion to dismiss their case challenging the FEC’s failure to investigate a five-year-old complaint regarding the Russian government’s unlawful foreign political spending in the 2016 election, at times in coordination withRead More
BREAKING: Free Speech For People Sues Federal Election Commission for Failing to Investigate Trump and Trump Campaign’s Role in McDougal Hush Money Payoff Posted on June 14, 2019 (June 18, 2020) Challenging Corruption Washington, D.C.—Free Speech For People has filed a lawsuit against the Federal Election Commission for failing to investigate a $150,000 “hush money” payment made in 2016 to Karen McDougal, one of President Trump’s former mistresses, under federal campaign finance law. The investigation is necessary because, even after federal prosecutors have investigated some of the parties involved,Read More
Victory: Federal Election Commission Adopts Our Recommendations on Cryptocurrency Mining for Campaigns Posted on April 25, 2019 Today, the Federal Election Commission voted 4-0 to adopt an advisory opinion that embraces Free Speech For People’s recommendations regarding a platform to enable use of distributed computers to mine cryptocurrency for political campaigns. Free Speech For People was the only campaign finance reform organization involved in the regulatory process. BACKGROUND In September 2018, aRead More
Our Comment on the Federal Election Commission’s Draft Opinion Rejecting a Special Cryptocurrency Loophole Posted on December 11, 2018 (December 11, 2018) 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, butRead More
Center for Public Integrity Reports on Our Fight Against Special Cryptocurrency Loophole Posted on November 19, 2018 (November 19, 2018) The Center for Public Integrity reported on Free Speech For People’s efforts to fight a cryptocurrency company’s request for a special loophole that could seriously undermine federal campaign finance law. As the article by Ashley Balcerzak explains: OsiaNetwork LLC, a newly formed limited liability company in Delaware, has asked the Federal Election Commission whether it’s legal for people to shareRead More
FSFP to Federal Election Commission: Don’t Allow Unlimited Bitcoin Contributions Posted on October 5, 2018 Today, Free Speech For People asked the Federal Election Commission to reject a request for an advisory opinion from a company called OsiaNetwork LLC that would allow unlimited campaign contributions in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency. OsiaNetwork is proposing that donors could lend unlimited amounts of computer processing power to the company for “mining” cryptocurrency, which could thenRead 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
Newsweek: Did the Trump Campaign Collude With Russia? Follow the Money Posted on May 6, 2017 (October 3, 2018) Today, our Legal Director, Ron Fein, penned an op-ed in Newsweek with Julian Schreibman, a New York attorney, served at the Central Intelligence Agency. Fein and Schreibman say “follow the money” if you’re asking if the Trump campaign colluded with Russia. Read More