On July 30, 2019 plaintiffs filed a motion for preliminary injunction, asking the Court to direct Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson to suspend the implementation of all provisions of the Michigan Constitution relating to the Commission. Plaintiffs also ask the court to consolidate the preliminary injunction motion with a trial on the merits, alleging that there are only legal questions at issue in the case.

On July 30, 2019, plaintiffs filed a complaint in the federal district court for the Western District of Michigan alleging that the eligibility requirements for commissioners to serve on the Michigan Citizens Redistricting Commission (“Commission”) are unconstitutional under the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. Plaintiffs also argue that the eligibility requirements are not severable from the rest of the constitutional amendment, and thus the whole amendment must be struck down. The plaintiffs requested declaratory and injunctive relief. The constitutional amendment establishing the Commission was approved by over 61% (2.5 million) of Michigan voters, with support from voters of both major political parties.

CLC filed comments in response to the House Committee on Ethics’ request for input on types of service and positions with outside entities that may lead to conflicts of interest.

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a January 15 opinion by U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman finding that Secretary Ross lied about his reasons for adding the citizenship question to the 2020 Census.

On Thursday, June 27, 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court decided 5-4 that partisan gerrymandering claims present political questions beyond the reach of the federal courts.

CLC submitted these written comments for the U.S. Office of Government Ethics’ legal expense fund regulation rulemaking.

On May 30, 2019, a unanimous 6th Circuit panel upheld all challenged provisions of Kentucky’s ethics and campaign finance laws. The appellate court found that the provisions barring state legislators from receiving gifts and campaign contributions from state lobbyists were constitutional, and that plaintiffs—one sitting state senator and one legislative candidate—lacked standing to challenge the corresponding restrictions on lobbyists themselves.

On May 23, CLC submitted a complaint to the Office of Government Ethics alleging an ethics pledge violation by the former Acting U.S. Trade Representative Stephen P. Vaughn.

On February 1, 2018, CLC submitted a FOIA request  to the U.S. Census Bureau to obtain information on the 2020 Census citizenship question.

CLC filed a complaint with the Office of Special Counsel on May 8, 2019 requesting an investigation into Special Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway for an apparent violation of the Hatch Act.

CLC filed an amended complaint on behalf of individuals against the City of Virginia Beach. Virginia Beach City Council, the City Manager and the Director of Elections/General Registrar challenging the at-large election system used to elect members of the City Council.

CLC filed written testimony to the New Hampshire Senate Committee on Election Law and Municipal Affairs in support of House Bill 706, a bill establishing an independent redistricting commission (“IRC”) in New Hampshire. CLC argues that the bill is constitutional under federal and New Hampshire law, the transparency requirements are good public policy, and the commission is unlikely to produce gerrymandered districts because the commission must reach consensus to approve a map.  

The Department of Justice on March 29, 2019 responded to CLC's FOIA request from January 20, 2017 about the inclusion of a citizenship question on the 2020 Census. This document contains correspondence released on behalf of the Office of the Attorney General.

On March 29, 2019, the Department of Justice responded to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request from Campaign Legal Center (CLC). The response includes 129 pages of documents pertaining to the inclusion of a citizenship question on the 2020 census.

On Friday, March 29, 2019, The Department of Justice provided an additional 129 pages of documents in response to CLC’s FOIA Request seeking documents related to the decision to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census. The documents originated from the Office of the Attorney General, and were provided pursuant to an Order from the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

The Campaign Legal Center urges the Commission on Integrity and Public Confidence in State Government to recommend that Virginia establish an independent redistricting commission to draw districts for congressional and state legislative elections.  

The Office of Special Counsel determined that there was no Hatch Act violation because Benton relayed to the event coordinators that he was speaking in his personal capacity and stated so in the beginning of his speech. The letter was signed by Ana Galindo-Marrone, Chief of the Hatch Act Unit.

Today the 5th Circuit affirmed the multi-million dollar verdict in the corruption case in Houston that CLC tried with Texas attorney Chad Dunn in 2016.

CLC submitted written comments to the San Francisco Ethics Commission regarding the Commission's substantive review of the city's public financing program. CLC's comments include recommendations to improve public participation in San Francisco campaigns by amending the program's qualification requirements and by increasing the matching funds rate for city residents' contributions to candidates participating in the program. 

On March 4, 2019, Campaign Legal Center (CLC) submitted comments to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) urging the FEC to make its process of issuing advisory opinions more transparent and to allow public comment before issuing final advisory opinions.