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Political Spending: Civic Engagement is Not a Threat to Democracy
January 1, 2018  •  By IFS Staff  •    •  

The First Amendment guarantees every American freedom of speech. That freedom includes the right to spend money on speech. Without money, a political group cannot buy ads, print fliers, organize protests, or hire staff. Short of shouting one’s opinions on a street corner, it takes money to spread a message. Recognizing this relationship, the Supreme Court has long prohibited the…

Comments and Suggested Language to California Fair Political Practices Commission on Proposed Revisions to Political Reform Act of 1974
October 31, 2016   •  By David Keating   •  , ,

As you know, California’s Fair Political Practices Commission (“FPPC”), the body charged with the administration and enforcement of California’s Political Reform Act (“Act”), has ...

New Year, Same Story: 2016 CPA-Zicklin Index Chills Speech
October 3, 2016   •  By Brad Smith   •  , ,

The Center for Political Accountability (CPA) and the Zicklin Center for Business Ethics Research have released the 2016 edition of their annual study of ...

Analysis of Multnomah Co. Measure Number 26-184 (“Fair Elections and Clean Governance Charter Amendment”)
September 16, 2016   •  By IFS Staff   •  , , ,

If enacted, the Amendment will define an independent expenditure as any effort “to influence the outcome of a Candidate election” that is neither made ...

The NRA’s Political Spending is No Different From Any Other Group’s
September 15, 2016   •  By Joe Albanese   •  , ,

Last week, the Sunlight Foundation – an organization that supports increased donor disclosure for nonprofit groups that occasionally speak about candidates and issues as ...

Comments to FEC Commissioner Ravel on Proposal to Rescind AO 2006-15 (TransCanada) (FEC Agenda Document No. 16-32-A)
September 12, 2016   •  By Allen Dickerson   •  , ,

The Center for Competitive Politics (“the Center”), respectfully submits comments in response to Commissioner Ravel’s Proposal to Rescind Advisory Opinion (“AO”) 2006-15 (TransCanada) (“the ...

CEOs May Influence Their Employees’ Contributions – and That’s Okay
September 5, 2016   •  By Joe Albanese   •  , ,

A recent study purports to find a new link between the political activities of CEOs and their employees. After reviewing a large sample of ...

On Bob Bauer and “Evidence”
August 15, 2016   •  By Paul Jossey   •  ,

Bob Bauer responded to my early summer post about professors Rick Hasen and Larry Lessig’s use of the infamous ‘Gilens and Page’ study. In ...

Statement of Chairman Bradley A. Smith and President David Keating on FEC Commissioner Weintraub’s “Corporate Political Spending and Foreign Influence” Forum
June 23, 2016   •  By Brad Smith   •  , ,

Today, Commissioner Ellen Weintraub has taken the unprecedented step of using her office to organize what is in essence a private forum, to be ...

Pre-Primary News Coverage of the 2016 Presidential Race: Trump’s Rise, Sanders’ Emergence, Clinton’s Struggle
June 1, 2016   •  By Matt Nese   •  ,

This analysis by Thomas E. Patterson of the Harvard Kennedy School and Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy evaluates news media coverage ...

Are Plutocrats Really Uniting?
May 13, 2016   •  By Paul Jossey   •  , ,

The anti-First Amendment Campaign Legal Center recently hosted noted election-law professor Rick Hasen to discuss his book ‘Plutocrats United.’ Hasen presented the book’s “reform” ...

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