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Jun 15, 2007 -- Legal Center Weekly Report: June 15, 2007
This week, the Supreme Court issued its decision in Davenport v. WA Education Association reversing the state supreme court's invalidation of a state law requiring labor unions to obtain affirmative authorization from non-members before using such non-members' agency shop fees for political purposes. The Campaign Legal Center filed an amicus brief in support of the state.
The Campaign Legal Center filed briefs in this case supporting the constitutionality of the state law and, by extension, similar "opt-in" requirements for union and corporate funding of election activity at the federal level and in at least fourteen states.
J. Gerald Hebert, Executive Director of the Campaign Legal Center, stated , "The Court's decision today reaffirms that states may constitutionally regulate the use of union and corporate funds to influence elections."
Legal Center Urges House Members to Cosponsor Campaign Expenditure Transparency Act
On June 14, the Campaign Legal Center sent a letter to all Members of the House urging them to cosponsor the Campaign Expenditure Transparency Act, H.R. 2630. This measure would prohibit campaign committees and leadership PACS of a federal office holder or candidate from making payments to that individual's spouse. The bill would require campaign committees and leadership PACs to report any disbursements made to the officeholder or candidate's immediate family members.
According to the letter, "While most Members do not abuse the system, it is evident that the temptation to funnel campaign funds to family coffers may be too great for others. More importantly, these self-dealing transactions undermine public confidence in Congress and our democracy as a whole."
On Wednesday June 13, the University of Southern California along with Representative John Tanner (D-TN) unveiled a new redistricting videogame . J. Gerald Hebert, Legal Center Executive Director, delivered remarks at the event. Former Presidential Candidate John Anderson also spoke at the event on behalf of FairVote.
The redistricting videogame shows how easy it is for politicians to abuse the redistricting process, manipulate lines through gerrymandering, and choose which voters they want in their districts. The Legal Center, which has been in the forefront of efforts to reform the redistricting process, encourages people to visit http://redistrictinggame.org and play this highly educational and entertaining videogame.
This week, six former career professionals at the Justice Department sent a letter to the Senate Rules Committee urging the rejection of the nomination of Hans von Spakovsky to the Federal Election Commission. According to their letter, "While he was at the Civil Rights Division, Mr. von Spakovsky played a major role in the implementation of practices which injected partisan political factors into decision-making on enforcement matters and into the hiring process." The Legal Center helped distribute the letter and generate media attention for it leading up to the hearing.
Last week, J. Gerald Hebert, Campaign Legal Center Executive Director, also sent a letter to the Senate Rules Committee regarding the FEC confirmation hearing of von Spakovsky. In the letter, Hebert urged the Committee to closely scrutinize von Spakovsky's record at the Department of Justice to determine "whether or not he meets the qualifications of the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) which states that Commissioners shall be chosen 'on the basis of their experience, integrity, impartiality and good judgment.'"
This week, Midwest civic and political reforms groups released a study on the glaring deficiency of federal, state and local government coverage by Midwestern broadcasters. With the study they also sent a letter urging the FCC to hold broadcasters accountable to their Public Interest Obligations.
"The findings from the Midwest News Index (MNI) reports reveal a retreat from responsibility by local television stations," the groups told the Commission. The Legal Center distributed the letter and study to additional targeted media outlets.
Legal Center Blog Highlights
Each week, the Campaign Legal Center staff posts blog entries on its site, www.clcblog.org . Click to read this week's entry: " Supreme Court Upholds Washington State Campaign Finance Law ," " Will Ethics Suggestions Be Real or Cosmetic? ," " FEC Nominee Hans von Spakovsky: A Repeat Offender ," and " 'Hybrid Ads' and the $50 Million Loophole—Will It Grow in 2008? ," and " The Bad FEC Commissioner " or to sign up for blog updates, click here .
To read a variety of this week's editorials and articles on a variety of Campaign Legal Center issues, including the Roll Call Op-Ed, "Will Ethics Suggestions Be Real or Cosmetic?" by Meredith McGehee and the Legal Times Op-Ed, "An Unwritten Exception?" by J. Gerald Hebert, please click here . |
