Legal Center Press Releases

• Current
• Archived

Feb 1, 2010 -- Legal Center Offers Possible Legislative Fixes to Citizens United at Request of Senate Committee

Today the Campaign Legal Center offered a series of potential legislative fixes to repair some of the damage done by the U.S. Supreme Court in its recent ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. The suggested approaches were submitted at the request of the Senate Rules Committee. The submissions outline a list of issues that the Legal Center recommends Congressional leaders should consider when putting together a legislative package in response to the recent court ruling.

Jan 21, 2010 -- In Citizens United, Roberts Court Ignores Precedent and Judicial Restraint: Statement of J. Gerald Hebert, Campaign Legal Center Executive Director

Today's decision from the Supreme Court is an extreme example of judicial overreach that arbitrarily overturns decades of precedent and undercuts the powers of the legislative branch. What the Supreme Court majority did today was empower corporations to use their enormous wealth and urge the election or defeat of federal candidates, and in doing so, buy even more power over the legislative process and government decision making. As a result of this decision, for profit corporations and industries will be able to threaten members of Congress with negative ads if they vote against corporate interests, and to spend tens of millions on campaign ads to "punish" those who do not knuckle under to their lobbying threats.

Jan 20, 2010 -- McCain-Feingold Implementation Drags on Toward Year Eight

The Campaign Legal Center, together with Democracy 21, filed comments with the FEC yesterday in response to the Commission's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on proposed revisions to federal regulations regarding communications that have been coordinated with federal candidates.

Dec 15, 2009 -- SpeechNow.org Suit Seeks Unlimited Contributions for "527 Groups": Reformers File to Uphold the Law

On December 15, 2009, the Campaign Legal Center and Democracy 21 filed an amici brief with the en banc D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals in SpeechNow.org v. FEC, a challenge to the $5,000 contribution limit and the comprehensive disclosure requirements applicable to political committees making independent expenditures.

Nov 19, 2009 -- FEC Guts HLOGA Candidate Travel Restrictions: Statement of Paul S. Ryan, Campaign Legal Center FEC Program Director

The FEC today adopted a final rule gutting restrictions on federal candidate air travel, enacted by Congress as part of a sweeping revision of federal ethics laws known as the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 (HLOGA).

Oct 30, 2009 -- Statement By Reform Groups Regarding Activities of the House Ethics Committee and Office of Congressional Ethics

The Ethics Committee's strong attack on the OCE in its report dismissing the case of Rep. Graves is completely uncalled for and raises serious concerns that the Ethics Committee is engaged in an effort to undermine, weaken and possibly eliminate the Office. It also raises serious concerns about the Ethics Committee's approach to interpreting House ethics rules.

Oct 27, 2009 -- Ethics Committee Must Launch Investigations or Release OCE Fact Finding Reports by Week's End

A report released today reveals that the House Ethics Committee has until Friday October 30, 2009 to empanel investigative subcommittees or to release reports compiled by the independent Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) related to ethics questions raised about Members of the House. The third quarter report issued by the OCE revealed the impending deadline for action by the Ethics Committee.

Oct 22, 2009 -- FEC Continues to Abdicate Duties with EMILY's List Decision: Statement of The Campaign Legal Center

Three Commissioners have announced their refusal to seek higher judicial review of a court decision declaring FEC regulations unconstitutional. This is a sad dereliction of their duties, though not a surprising one given their history of placing their own personal views and philosophy ahead of the statute and regulations they are obliged to enforce by virtue of holding office as Commissioners.

Oct 21, 2009 -- Legal Center & CREW Urge DOJ to Investigate Allegations of Public Corruption Against Texas Legislator/Political Consultant and Election Official

Today the Campaign Legal Center and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) requested a full investigation of a series of allegations of public corruption and possible violations of the Voting Rights Act by a Texas State Representative and a local election official.

Oct 2, 2009 -- Reform Groups Urge Support for Office Of Congressional Ethics

In a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Republican Leader John Boehner, reform groups urged them to support the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE), and the House Resolution and OCE rules implementing the resolution that limit the ability of the House Ethics Committee to remove ethics matters from the OCE.

Sep 18, 2009 -- Emily's List Decision A Broad Judicial Overreach: Statement of Tara Malloy, Campaign Legal Center Counsel

Today's decision from the D.C. Circuit Court to further deregulate the election-related spending of political committees and "527 groups" throws aside judicial restraint in a rush to reach preferred policy results. Such broad overreach is not the responsibility of the Circuit Court and amounts to nothing more than judicial activism. It is disappointing and unfortunate that the three-judge panel hastened to decide broad constitutional questions - including some not properly before the court - instead of simply deciding the validity of the challenged regulations on statutory grounds.

Sep 8, 2009 -- Trade Group Challenge to Lobbying Disclosure Law Rejected: Statement of Tara Malloy, Campaign Legal Center Associate Legal Counsel

Today's decision is a huge victory for sunlight on our political process. The ink was barely dry on the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act (HLOGA) before the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) challenged the law in an attempt to keep the membership of its lobbying coalition secret.

Sep 4, 2009 -- Citizens United Hotly Debated Over Airwaves, Internet

Campaign Legal Center staff have been in demand to discuss the re-argument of Citizens United, a key campaign finance case before the United States Supreme Court on Wednesday September 9th. Here are a few of the recent and upcoming talk show and web chat appearances by Legal Center attorneys.

Aug 31, 2009 -- Partisan Rivals Unite to Modernize Voter Registration System
Bipartisan Group Calls for Overdue Updates to Improve Integrity and Save Time and Money

A distinguished array of Democratic and Republican former Members of Congress, Secretaries of State, local elections administrators and election law experts announced the formation of the "Committee to Modernize Voter Registration." The group is dedicated to bringing the voter registration system into the 21st century by automating the outmoded system that relies on paper forms being filled out by voters and manually processed by local elections officials.

Aug 21, 2009 -- Reform, Taxpayer, and Business Groups Urge Judiciary Committee to Hold Hearings on Redistricting Reform Bill

Today a broad range of reform, business, and taxpayer organizations urged House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) and Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-TX) to hold hearings on the Fairness and Independence in Redistricting (FAIR) Act (H.R. 3025).

Aug 19, 2009 -- Civil Rights Groups & Reformers Agree to Redistricting Principles

On August 19, 2009, the Campaign Legal Center, the League of Women Voters and Americans for Redistricting Reform announced a "Statement of Essential Principles on Redistricting" supported by a diverse set of reform groups, civil right organizations, and academics.

Aug 5, 2009 -- Real Truth About Obama 527 Held Accountable by Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals

On August 5, 2009, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit issued a decision in Real Truth About Obama v. FEC (RTAO), denying a request for a preliminary injunction sought by a 527 organization that sought to run broadcast ads during the 2008 presidential campaign attacking then-presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Jul 8, 2009 -- Redistricting Reform Bill Deserves Hearings After Blue Dog Endorsement: Statement of Meredith McGehee, Campaign Legal Center Policy Director

It is time for the House to hold hearings on redistricting reform legislation currently pending in the 111th Congress. The issue is of huge importance to our democratic process and yesterday's endorsement of the legislation by the Blue Dog Coalition lends weight to the calls to reform the process before the 2010 Census and subsequent round of predictable extreme political gerrymanders.

Jun 29, 2009 -- Citizens United Deferral Raises Troubling Possibilities: Statement of Trevor Potter, Campaign Legal Center President

The Supreme Court's decision to ask for argument on whether to overrule Austin v. Michigan Chamber of Commerce, and related portions of McConnell v. FEC is deeply troubling. There is no reason for the Supreme Court to alter over 100 years of federal policy restricting corporate campaign finance activity in federal elections. Corporations have special legal benefits which enable them to collect vast amounts of money for non-political purposes. They are not voters. In these circumstances, there is no reason to allow them to spend their vast commercial funds in elections.

Jun 24, 2009 -- Redistricting Reform Bill Tackles Systemic Abuse: Statement of J. Gerald Hebert, Campaign Legal Center Executive Director

The way most states draw congressional districts must change if we are to break the partisan gridlock in Washington. Representatives John Tanner (D-TN) and Mike Castle (R-DE) and Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) are to be commended for moving the ball forward on reforming this process with the introduction of the Fairness And Independence in Redistricting (FAIR) Act.

• Current
• Archived