Free Speech For People Files Brief in Case Demanding Election Security Emails Posted on January 15, 2020 (May 29, 2020) Election Protection Free Speech For People filed a motion for summary judgment in National Election Defense Coalition v. Lawson, a case challenging the Indiana Secretary of State’s refusal to disclose election security-related emails exchanged with the National Association of Secretaries of State. Secretary of State Connie Lawson was the 2017-18 President of the National Association of SecretariesRead More
Victory for Contribution Limits: Supreme Court Allows Ninth Circuit’s Lair Decision to Stand Posted on January 14, 2019 Today the U.S. Supreme Court decided not to hear a challenge to Montana’s political contribution limits in a case that Free Speech For People has been working on since 2014. The history of the Lair case dates back to September 2011. The plaintiffs alleged that Montana’s campaign contribution limits are unconstitutionally low and violate the First Amendment.Read More
New study shows how small-donor matching funds can help reduce influence of big money Posted on December 20, 2018 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 thatRead More
Closing a Dangerous Loophole in Massachusetts’ Campaign Finance Practice Posted on December 6, 2018 (December 6, 2018) 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 registeringRead 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
Constitutional Scholars Weigh in on Exxon’s Flawed First Amendment Claims Posted on October 15, 2018 (October 16, 2018) Exxon–the world’s largest publicly traded oil and gas company–has come under fire for the dramatic differences between the company’s internal knowledge and assessments of climate change versus how it has communicated that information to investors, consumers, and the public at large. If the reports are borne out by the investigations, this could be the biggestRead More
New Brief in the Case that Could End Super PACs Posted on June 14, 2018 (June 13, 2018) On Wednesday night, we filed our brief responding to the Federal Election Commission’s motion to dismiss in Lieu v. FEC, the case that could end super PACs. As explained in more detail here, we filed this lawsuit on behalf of a bipartisan coalition of Members of Congress and 2016 congressional candidates. The lawsuit, filed in federal district court inRead More
Slate: This Lawsuit in Alaska Could Upend the Campaign Finance Landscape Posted on August 14, 2017 (August 14, 2017) A little-known court case in Alaska could be the next big money-in-politics controversy, says Slate. Read More
New friend-of-the-court brief argues for self-government Posted on July 26, 2017 (July 26, 2017) Today, Free Speech For People filed a friend-of-the-court brief (along with Prof. David Fontana of George Washington University Law School) arguing that an Alaska campaign finance law should be upheld because it serves a compelling government interest in democratic self-governmentRead More
Public Interest Groups to Deliver 200,000 Signatures to FEC Calling for Investigation of Russian Interference in 2016 Posted on June 15, 2017 (June 15, 2017) Today, three leading public interest organizations will hand deliver more than 200,000 petition signatures to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), calling on the agency to immediately investigate whether Russian agents and the Trump campaign violated federal campaign finance laws during the 2016 campaign.Read More