Illinois Democrats have an interesting proposal to “level the playing field” with independent expenditure committees. A Federal Court recently applied the SpeechNow.org logic to allow independent expenditure committees to speak out in Illinois statewide and legislative campaigns. This has caused a reaction in the Illinois General Assembly. From the Chicago Tribune: House Majority Leader Barbara [...]
The Changing Rhetoric of Campaign Finance — Illinois Democrats Offer Innovative Campaign Freedom Measure
Published on May 17, 2012
Filed Under: Blog, Contributions & Limits, Featured Content, In the News, Super PACs, campaign finance reform, Chicago, Contribution limits, Illinois
Federal Court Strikes Down Three Montana “Clean” Election Laws
Published on May 17, 2012
United States District Court for the District of Montana Judge Charles Lovell yesterday struck down three state laws that violated First Amendment rights to political speech: a ban on corporate donations to independent expenditure PACs; a political-civil libel statute; and a vote reporting disclaimer requirement. “This ruling is a solid win for the First Amendment,” [...]
Filed Under: Blog, Featured Content, First Amendment, Independent Speech, Super PACs, corporate contributions, free speech, Montana, District Of Columbia, Montana
Outside Spending and Incumbency in Indiana
Published on May 9, 2012
Fox News reported that Senator Dick Lugar R-IN, lost his renomination bid after 35 years in office. Lugar is expected to be one of a very few incumbent senators to lose his primary bid, according to the article, having been defeated by Tea Party challenger Richard Mourdock. According to Fox: “Lugar’s campaign spent $6.7 million [...]
Filed Under: Blog, Super PACs, Indiana, Lugar, super PACs
Campaign Funding Not Just About Super PACs
Published on April 6, 2012
It’s tempting to feel sorry for Obama because it would appear he’s having some trouble raising money for his re-election campaign through his super PAC Priorities USA Action. Billionaire investor George Soros and insurance executive Peter Lewis – who together have donated more than $50 million to Democratic political groups since 2004 – are among [...]
Filed Under: Blog, Disclosure, Featured Content, Super PACs, Democracy Alliance, Obama, Soros, super PACs, District Of Columbia
Money in Politics is Only Dangerous to Incumbents
Published on March 29, 2012
Today CCP President David Keating testified before the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration (video included). The hearing, which discussed S. 2219, is the most recent effort by the reform community to expand non-profit disclosure requirements. This latest effort comes on the heels of a number of previous attempts to dramatically expand the amount of information [...]
Filed Under: Blog, Coordination, Disclosure, Expenditure, First Amendment, Independent Speech, Political Parties, Super PACs, Chuck Schumer, DISCLOSE, Lamar Alexander, Senate Rules Hearing, District Of Columbia
CCP’s Keating debates John McCain at Money in Politics Panel
Published on March 27, 2012
The Center for Competitive Politics (CCP) today participated in a panel on money in politics and CCP President David Keating held his own on a panel that was mostly unfriendly to the idea that money equals speech when it comes to campaign expenditures. Sitting literally in the middle of a group that includes powerhouses such [...]
Filed Under: Blog, Featured Content, First Amendment, Independent Speech, Political Parties, Super PACs, Buddy Roemer, Citizens United, David keating, John McCain, money in politics, District Of Columbia
CCP’s David Keating Participating in Money in Politics Panel Tuesday, March 27
Published on March 26, 2012
NEWS RELEASE DATELINE: Monday, March 26, 2012 CONTACT: Sarah Lee, Communications Director, The Center for Competitive Politics, 770.598.7961 Alexandria, Va. — The Center for Competitive Politics (CCP) President David Keating will be part of “money-in-politics” panel tomorrow morning at 8:30 am at The Newseum in downtown Washington, D.C. The panel, hosted by Thomson Reuters, [...]
Filed Under: Disclosure, Expenditure, Featured Content, First Amendment, Newsroom, Press Releases, Super PACs, Citizens United, John McCain, money in politics, Newseum, super PACs, District Of Columbia
The Anniversary of SpeechNow.org and the Rise of the Super PAC
Published on March 26, 2012
Citizens United gets all of the attention: the protests, the whole being called the “Dred Scott of our generation” thing. But if you really think that super PACs are the root of all evil, then you ought to take your attention elsewhere. All Citizens United permitted was corporate or union independent expenditures. Under Citizens United, as long as it did [...]
Filed Under: Blog, Citizens United, Featured Content, First Amendment, Independent Speech, Super PACs, free speech, incumbents, SpeechNow.org, super PAC, District Of Columbia
SpeechNow.org v. FEC — protecting free speech for the last 2 years
Published on March 23, 2012
News Release Dateline: 3/23/2012 Contact: Sarah Lee , Communications Director, The Center for Competitive Politics, 770.598.7961 SpeechNow.org v. FEC — protecting free speech for the last 2 years On Monday, March 26, 2012, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in SpeechNow.org v. Federal Election Commission (FEC), will celebrate its 2 year anniversary. Free speech proponents everywhere, [...]
Filed Under: In the News, Independent Speech, Newsroom, Super PACs, free speech, SpeechNow.org, super PACs, District Of Columbia