CCP Staff

Bradley A. Smith, Chairman and Co-Founder

Bradley Smith is one of the nation’s foremost experts on campaign finance law. He recently completed a term as Commissioner on the Federal Election Commission, resigning as of August 21, 2005. Commissioner Smith served as Vice-Chairman of the Commission in 2003 and Chairman of the Commission in 2004. 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, Commissioner 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, Hannity & Colmes, Bill Moyers, the Lehrer News Hour, Fox News Special Report, ABC News, Washington Journal, and numerous other national and local television and radio programs. As FEC Commissioner, he 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 Journal dubbed him, “the only honorable man in this bordello.” Chairman Smith now serves as Professor of Law at Capital University Law School, and is Of Counsel to the law firm of Vorys, Sater, Seymour & Pease.  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.   Professor Smith also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Studies, and is a Senior Fellow at the Goldwater Institute and a member of the Board of Scholars of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy,  Commissioner Smith is a cum laude graduate of Harvard Law School and Kalamazoo College, and holds an honorary doctorate from Augustana College. 

 

Sean Parnell, President

Sean was previously vice president for external affairs at The Heartland Institute, a free market think tank in Chicago. His primary responsibility for Heartland was fundraising.  At Heartland, Sean also spent time researching, writing, and speaking on public policy issues. He wrote Congressional testimony and numerous articles and op-eds.  He also authored two research papers for the Texas Public Policy Foundation and briefed public officials and trade groups on policy issues. Prior to joining Heartland, Sean worked on political campaigns in Iowa. He managed a successful congressional campaign and served as finance director for a U.S. Senate race. Sean received an economics degree from Drake University.

Contact: sparnell [at] campaignfreedom.org 

 

Stephen M. Hoersting, Vice President and Co-Founder

Steve Hoersting 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 7 of 8 open seat races for United States 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, 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.  He is currently Of Counsel to the law firm of Siff & Cerda, LLP.

 

Reid Alan Cox, Legal Director

Reid Cox joins the Center for Competitive Politics after serving nearly three years in the United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, where he was a trial attorney for the Employment Litigation Section.  At the DOJ, Reid prosecuted employment discrimination actions brought by the United States against state and local governments under Title VII and other federal anti-discrimination laws.  Reid also provided advice concerning proposed legislation and regulation with respect to affirmative action programs to the DOJ and other offices and agencies.

Before working at the DOJ, Reid practiced law for more than three years at the Center for Individual Freedom, serving first as Assistant General Counsel and later as General Counsel.  Reid was charged with primary responsibility for CFIF's litigation efforts, including serving as counsel in eight cases before the Supreme Court of the United States.  He also was responsible for the organization's legal policy efforts and analyses in the areas of constitutional law, election law, media law, and intellectual property law.   Reid made numerous media appearances on radio and television programs, and wrote pieces that appeared both in print an online.

Reid's experience at CFIF included work on a significant number of campaign finance and First Amendment cases including, Center for Individual Freedom v. Carmouche.  CFIF was also a plaintiff in McConnell v. FEC.

Reid holds three degrees from Indiana University at Bloomington.  He graduated magna cum laude from the School of Law in 2000, and was elected to the Order of the Coif.  Reid also earned a master's degree in journalism from Indiana University, and a B.A. in economics and political science in 1995.  Immediately following law school, Reid clerked for the Honorable Anthony A. Alaimo, U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Georgia.

Contact: rcox [at] campaignfreedom.org

 

Kathleen Ralston, Development Director

Kathleen Ralston previously served as the program coordinator for the Women's Majority Network donor program at the National Republican Senatorial Committee. She graduated from Georgetown University in 2004. While an undergraduate, Kathleen interned for Chairman Henry Hyde on the House International Relations Committee.

Contact: kralston [at] campaignfreedom.org

 

Laura Renz, Research Director

Laura Renz graduated with a degree in Government-Sociology from Skidmore College in 2006 and also holds a Masters in Public Policy from George Mason University.  As an undergraduate, she interned for Congresswoman Nancy Johnson as well as in the New York State Senate.  Laura also served as a Legislative Assistant at the law firm of Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney.

Contact: lrenz [at] campaignfreedom.org

 

Kristi Meade, Government & Coalition Relations Director

Kristi Meade most recently worked for Purdue University’s Office of Governmental Relations, working on federal affairs. Before working for the university, Kristi was employed by the Leadership Institute where she worked with students throughout the mid-Atlantic to develop successful plans to become politically active on their campuses. She also aided in the cultivation of LI’s donor base. Kristi received a B.A. from Purdue University.

Contact: kmeade [at] campaignfreedom.org

 

Jeff Patch, Communications Manager

Before joining the Center for Competitive Politics, Patch researched earmarks as a budget fellow at the Cato Institute.  Patch started his career as a journalist, working for Politico, the Des Moines Register and the Telegraph Herald in his hometown of Dubuque, Iowa. He also worked as the press secretary for Rep. Tom Latham of Iowa. He holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and political science from the University of Iowa.

Contact: jpatch [at] campaignfreedom.org

 

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

Erik S. Jaffe 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.