Court Cases
Campaign Finance Reform
Majors v. Abell
Majors v. Abell was a challenge to Indiana’s “disclaimer” law that requires any advertisement expressly endorsing or opposing a candidate for office to explicitly disclose its funders.
– 03/15/04
McConnell v. FEC (Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act)
The Center, in its defense of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, focused primarily on defending the portion of the law that regulates campaign advertising by interest groups.
– 12/10/03
FEC v. Beaumont
In January 2003, the Center filed an amicus brief in Federal Election Commission v. Beaumont, which involved a narrow exception to the ban on using corporate or union treasury funds for federal electioneering.
– 06/16/03
California Pro-Life Council v. Getman
This case concerns the constitutionality of California’s campaign finance disclosure laws for ballot measure campaigns.
– 05/08/03
California ProLife Council PAC v. Scully
This case involved the defense of contributions and other restrictions on candidates for California office under Proposition 208.
– 05/08/03
May v. Brewer
Plaintiff challenged the constitutionality of the portion of Arizona’s Clean Money/Clean Elections system requiring a 10% surcharge on criminal and civil fines.
– 03/24/03
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. v. Village of Stratton
This case involved a First Amendment challenge to a local ordinance requiring persons who wished to canvass door-to-door to get a permit and display it upon request by the police or person canvassed.
– 08/09/02
Ferlic v. Danberg
The Brennan Center intervened on behalf of two Nebraska office holders in defense of the state’s Campaign Finance Limitation Act.
– 01/31/02
FEC v. Colorado Republican Federal Campaign Committee 2001 (Colorado Republican II)
The Colorado Republican Federal Campaign Committee challenged a provision of the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) that restricts the amount of hard money political parties can spend in coordination with their congressional candidates.
– 06/25/01
Perry v. Bartlett (E.D.N.C.) & North Carolina Right to Life v. Bartlett (4th Cir.)
In 1999, representing a North Carolina state legislator and a statewide campaign finance coalition, the Center entered as an amicus in two federal lawsuits in defense of the state’s campaign finance laws.
– 03/16/01