- District Court Upholds Ban on Contributions from Governmental Contractors
- Legal Center Files Brief Defending Wisconsin Disclosure Laws in 7th Circuit Court of Appeals
- Legal Center President Helps Craft & Launch the American Anti-Corruption Act
- Trevor Potter Appears Again on The Colbert Report
- Policy Director Meredith McGehee Again Named Top Lobbyist
- Tr...
Last month, I posted a blog listing six reasons why the Supreme Court should not grant the petition for certiorari in the Shelby County, AL case. Nonetheless, last week, the Supreme Court issued an order granting the cert petition in the case. This marks the second time in the last three years that the Supreme Court will consider the issue of the...
Yesterday, Legal Center President Trevor Potter, along with a broad coalition of unexpected bedfellows from across the political spectrum, launched an effort to drastically overhaul the laws governing campaign finance, disclosure, government ethics and lobbying. The far-reaching American Anti-Corruption Act is supported by prominent Tea Party and...
Last night Legal Center President Trevor Potter appeared again on Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report as host Stephen Colbert pondered what to do with his leftover Super PAC money. Potter walked the host through a convenient IRS loophole that allows the funds to be transferred from Colbert Super PAC through his 501(c)(4), Colbert Super PAC SHH!,...
Campaign Legal Center President Trevor Potter will be a featured expert on NBC’s & MSNBC’s Election Night coverage. Potter will be on hand tonight in the studios to offer commentary as needed on voting and counting issues, from his unique perspective as a former FEC Chairman and Presidential campaign lawyer.
Check local listings for a station...
On November 3-4, Politico’s Arena featured a short video produced by Legal Center Policy Director Meredith McGehee on the effect of the Citizens United decision on corporate and union political spending. The video lays out the opportunities for both corporations and unions to expand their political activities after the decision and the holes in...
With Election Day just around the corner, 2012 is on track to be the most expensive election in history, potentially reaching $6 billion, topping the previous record by $700 million. What’s the big difference this cycle from previous ones? Outside groups such as super PACs and non-profits, that can collect unlimited sums of money from individuals...
Trevor Potter’s appearance in PBS Frontline’s “Big Sky, Big Money” segment began with a lengthy interview in August. It touched on a variety of topics related to our current campaign finance system, how we got here, and what can be done to fix it.
To watch Frontline’s “Big Sky, Big Money” segment as it aired October 30, 2012,click here.
A...
Today, The Hill released its annual “Top Lobbyists” list, and once again Campaign Legal Center Policy Director Meredith McGehee was included on the prestigious list. As she has been for a number of years, McGehee is listed along with top lobbyists from the biggest firms on K Street and the players in the corporate, union, association and nonprofit...
See Trevor Potter's interview tonight at 10:00 p.m. as PBS's Frontline looks into how the Citizen United decision is playing out in Montana where comparatively little money buys a lot of airtime for attacks ads. The segment looks at the role of big money and secretive outside groups looking to buy results in the races up and down the ticket.
...
- Three-Judge Court Halts South Carolina Voter ID Law for 2012
- Lawsuit Forces Partial Settlement for Harris County, Texas Voters: 9,000 Affected Voters Will Be Advised That Their Right to Vote Will Not Be Challenged
- Illinois’ Contribution Limits Upheld by 7th Circuit Court of Appeals
- FEC Issues Advisory Opinion Rejecting Tea Party Leadership Fund...
It has been widely predicted that the US Supreme Court will grant certiorari in Shelby County, Alabama’s challenge to the constitutionality of Section 5 of the VRA. The case is set for conference tomorrow and we could learn as early as Monday whether the Court will take up this challenge. I do not believe the Court will, or should, hear Shelby...
The Legal Center’s Paul S. Ryan was interviewed by Wesley Bizzell in the October 16, 2012 issue of COGEL’s The Guardian. The Senior Counsel answered questions ranging from how he became involved in campaign finance law to what to do when Jim Bopp sues you.
Beyond the Headlines, a regular Guardian feature, brings you interviews with the lawyers...
On October 13, Politico’s Arena featured a short video produced by Legal Center Policy Director Meredith McGehee on the ease with which foreign interests could be pouring money into our elections. The video shows why Justice Alito's "not true" rejoinder about foreign money in U.S. elections during the State of the Union falls short as does the...
- Federal Court in Wyoming Sides with Campaign Legal Center & Democracy 21, Rejects Latest Disclosure Challenge
- Federal Court Rejects Challenge To Illinois Contribution Limits
- U.S. District Court Upholds Federal Aggregate Contribution Limits
- Court Rejects Another Disclosure Challenge, Siding with Campaign Legal Center Again
- Closing Arguments Heard in So...
Smart phones aren’t just for fact checking those suspicious sounding baseball stats your friend keeps quoting. Now, thanks to a new mobile app produced by MapLight, your phone can also help you keep your elected officials honest on the sources of their campaign contributions.
The app, Politicash 2012, tracks money flowing into the presidential...
The Campaign Legal Center’s President Trevor Potter was the featured guest on Bill Moyers & Company for an informative interview entitled, “Elections for Sale.”
More money is being spent this election cycle than ever before, much from secretive, outside groups. Some estimates show the cost of this election cycle will reach more than $5 billion...
- 8th Circuit Rules on Minnesota’s Corporate Contribution Ban and Disclosure Laws
- McCutcheon v. FEC Oral Argument Heard by Three-Judge Panel
- Appeals Court Panel Overturns Van Hollen v. FEC
- Legal Center Defends Hawaii’s Disclosure Regs & Contractor Contribution Ban in 9th Circuit Brief
- Court Accepts Legal Center Brief Defending Contribution Limits...
In the October issue of The Atlantic, editor James Bennett takes a long look at campaign finance reforms and their impact on our democracy through the competing visions of Legal Center President Trevor Potter and anti-reformer James Bopp. “The New Price of American Democracy” traces the history of campaign finance reforms, the scandals that led to...
Tomorrow night Legal Center President Trevor Potter and Jonathan Soros of the Roosevelt Institute will take on David Keating of the Center for Competitive Politics and Jacob Sullum of Reason Magazine at the Intelligence Squared debate, “Two Cheers for Super PACs: Money in Politics is Still Overregulated.”
In an Oxford-style debate from 6:45-8:30...
The somber occasion of the 11th anniversary of September 11, 2001 is a reminder that the freedoms we enjoy in this great country can never be taken for granted. In the wake of Cold War, we learned that tragic day that even with the Soviet Union gone there were still those who resented our democracy and our basic rights to free speech and to vote...