Bradley A. Smith, Chairman and Co-Founder

Brad is one of the nation’s foremost experts on campaign finance law. He served as a Commissioner on the Federal Election Commission, resigning as of Aug. 21, 2005. Smith was elected as Vice Chairman of the Commission in 2003 and Chairman of the Commission in 2004.

A recent New York Times story referred to Smith as the “intellectual powerhouse” of the movement to roll back campaign finance restrictions. His 2001 book, Unfree Speech: the Folly of Campaign Finance Reform, was lauded by George Will as the year’s “most important book on governance.” Once called “the most sought after witness in Congress” on campaign finance issues, Smith has authored over 40 articles on campaign finance reform, appearing in academic publications such as the Yale Law Journal and Georgetown Law Journal, and popular publications such as The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and National Review. He has appeared on The O’Reilly Factor, Hardball with Chris Matthews, Bill Moyers Journal, the Lehrer News Hour, Fox News Special Report, ABC News, Washington Journal, and numerous other national and local television and radio programs.

As an FEC Commissioner, Smith won plaudits for his integrity and refusal to put partisan interests ahead of his duties, as well as his steadfast support for free speech. For his honesty and integrity, the Wall Street Journaldubbed him, “the only honorable man in this bordello.” Smith now serves as the Josiah H. Blackmore II/Shirley M. Nault Designated Professor of Law at Capital University Law School. He has won numerous awards for his scholarship and teaching, and is a past member of the Advisory Committee to the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Election Law. He currently serves on the Editorial Board of the Election Law Journal, and the Editorial Advisory Board of the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy. Smith also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Studies, is a senior fellow at the Goldwater Institute and is a member of the Board of Scholars of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Smith is a cum laude graduate of Harvard Law School and Kalamazoo College and holds an honorary doctorate from Augustana College.

Stephen M. Hoersting, Vice President and Co-Founder

Steve served as general counsel to the National Republican Senatorial Committee under its Chairman, Senator George Allen (R-Va.), during the 2003-2004 election cycle. He advised 51 Senate offices and 34 campaigns, including candidates, vendors, pollsters and consultants in the first election after the passage of McCain-Feingold, and helped win seven of eight open seat races for U.S. Senator. As a former counsel to then Vice Chairman Bradley A. Smith of the Federal Election Commission, Mr. Hoersting has a detailed understanding of campaign finance law, its jurisprudence, and the enforcement and regulatory processes of the Federal Election Commission.

He has published on campaign finance issues for the Cato Institute, the Election Law Journal, The Washington Times, Roll Call, and National Review Online; has appeared on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal, and offered expert testimony on Capitol Hill. Mr. Hoersting earned a J.D. from Capital University Law School, cum laude, in 1996, and a B.A. in economics from The Ohio State University in 1990. He is an alumnus of the Institute for Humane Studies, and served as The Federalist Society’s Publications Chairman for the Free Speech and Election Law Practice Group.

Allison Hayward, Vice President of Policy

Allison writes widely on election law topics and has been published in a variety of law journals and magazines, including the Harvard Journal of Legislation, Case Western Reserve Law Review, National Review, the Weekly Standard, Reason, the Journal of Law and Politics, Political Science Quarterly, The Green Bag, and the Election Law Journal. She held the position of Assistant Professor of Law at George Mason University School of Law from 2006 to 2010. Hayward has taught constitutional law, election law, ethics, and civil procedure. She was an associate at Wiley, Rein & Fielding in Washington, D.C. and Of Counsel at Bell, McAndrews & Hiltachk in Sacramento, California. Hayward was also Counsel to Commissioner Bradley A. Smith of the Federal Election Commission. Before attending law school, she served as staff in the California legislature and managed a state assembly campaign.

She graduated from Stanford University with degrees in political science and economics, and received her law degree from the University of California, Davis.  She clerked for Judge Danny J. Boggs of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.  Hayward is Chairman of the Federalist Society’s Free Speech and Election Law Practice Group. She also serves on the Board of the Office of Congressional Ethics. She is an active member of the California and Washington, D.C. bars.

ahayward [at] campaignfreedom.org

Allen Dickerson, Legal Director

Allen oversees CCP’s litigation efforts before state and federal courts. He was previously an associate with the New York office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. He has served as lead counsel in cases before the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court, and has participated in litigation before numerous trial courts and arbitration panels. His writing has appeared in the Naval Law Review and been published by the National Institute of Military Justice, and he continues to write on topics concerning campaign finance regulation, military justice, and the First Amendment. Dickerson is a graduate of Yale College and New York University School of Law.

adickerson [at] campaignfreedom.org

Zac Morgan, Legal Intern

Zac is a second-year student at George Mason University School of Law. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from The George Washington University with a degree in political science. Zac then served as a political appointee in the Bush administration’s Department of Justice and later helmed new media for the Maryland House Republican Caucus. Zac contributes to FrumForum.com.

Benjamin Barr, Of Counsel

Ben serves of counsel to the Center for Competitive Politics. Barr acted as advisor and counsel to two chairmen of the Federal Election Commission and practiced election law with Bopp, Coleson & Bostrom, where he challenged unconstitutional election and campaign finance laws nationwide. As a litigator, he participated directly in three constitutional challenges to campaign finance laws before the Supreme Court. Barr advises several state-based think tanks on issues of constitutional law, serves as a senior fellow with the Goldwater Institute, is a constitutional scholar with the Wyoming Liberty Group, and maintains a small law practice focusing on the development of strategies for the protection of civil liberties.

Erik S. Jaffe, P.C., Litigation Consultant

Erik is a 1990 graduate of the Columbia University School of Law. From 1990 to 1991 he was a law clerk to Judge Douglas H. Ginsburg of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Following that clerkship he spent five years in litigation practice with the Washington, D.C. law firm of Williams & Connolly. In the summer of 1996 he left Williams & Connolly to clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. At the end of that clerkship he started his own practice, and has been a sole practitioner since 1997. Mr. Jaffe’s legal practice consists primarily of appellate litigation and motions work in trial courts and administrative fora. His appellate practice includes work in state and federal courts of appeals, including the United States Supreme Court. His motions practice includes work in a variety of state and federal venues, including administrative proceedings. Mr. Jaffe also provides consulting on legal issues arising in anticipation of litigation with an eye towards shaping the subsequent litigation in a way that favorably frames the legal issues for motions and appeals. Mr. Jaffe’s overall practice covers a wide variety of substantive issues involving both federal and state law. A particular emphasis within the practice, however, involves the First Amendment and related state constitutional provisions protecting freedom of speech. Mr. Jaffe earned a B.A., as a senior fellow in the field of molecular genetics, cum laude, from Dartmouth College in 1986.

April Owens, Office Manager

April joined the Center for Competitive Politics in Jan. 2008 after working at an event planning company in Annapolis, Md. She is also working on a business degree through Liberty University.

aowens [at] campaignfreedom.org

Joe Trotter, Communications Assistant

Joe recently graduated from Cornell University with a degree in Science of Earth Systems and a concentration in Ocean Sciences. Before joining CCP, Joe interned at the Cato Institute. Joe grew up in Bethesda, Md., where he currently resides.

jtrotter [at] campaignfreedom.org

Amanda Robey, External Relations Director 

Amanda comes to the Center for Competitive Politics from The Susan B. Anthony List, where she was the director of development starting in 2007. Before that, Amanda worked as the executive director and in other positions at The Rainmakers, a Washington, D.C. fundraising firm serving political candidates, nonprofits and other clients. She is a graduate of Liberty University, where she received a B.S. in government.

arobey [at] campaignfreedom.org