Center for Competitive Politics founder Bradley Smith will speak Saturday at the 6th Annual International Students for Liberty Conference (ISFLC) in Washington, DC, Feb. 15-17. The conference is billed as a “joint celebration, training event, classroom, debate forum, networking session, and pep rally for liberty.” The Center will be exhibiting at this year’s event, which anticipates a conference-record 1200 attendees, as well as an onsite taping of noted pundit John Stossel’s show, and a keynote address by Whole Foods CEO and co-founder John Mackey.
Smith will be speaking specifically about the problematic nature of campaign finance reform efforts. His address is entitled, “Why Real Campaign Finance Reform is the First Amendment,” and will delve into why “reform” efforts are profoundly detrimental to free speech because of their almost inextricable link to disclosure efforts and violations of privacy as it relates to campaign contributions and candidate support.
Smith was recently published in a Wall Street Journal op-ed detailing three significant campaign finance cases currently up for review by the Supreme Court, which may loosen restrictive campaign contribution regulations.
“Campaign-finance law remains a bewildering maze of arcane regulations, navigable only by a priesthood of expensive political consultants, accountants and lawyers. The Roberts court has done a great deal to clear up this mess, with salutary results for campaigns and elections. The issues presented in Danielczyk, McCutcheon, and James constitute the next wave of true reform,” Smith writes.
The ISFLC takes place at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, 1000 H. St. NW, Washington, DC, with Brad speaking at 10 am Saturday, Feb. 16th. For more information, contact Sarah Lee, CCP Communications Director, at 770.598.7961.
