Court Cases
Other Reforms
National Organization for Marriage v. Walsh
The Brennan Center joined Common Cause/NY and Citizens Union in submitting an amicus brief to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals defending New York state's election laws. The groups urged the appellate court to uphold the constitutionality of New York’s long-standing disclosure requirements for political committees, and to affirm a district court opinion dismissing the complaint and denying the motion of the National Organization for Marriage for a preliminary injunction.
– 05/09/11
Respect Maine PAC. v. Walter McKee
Representing eight state legislative candidates and the Maine Citizens for Clean Elections, the Brennan Center filed a brief opposing an eleventh-hour motion to enjoin numerous parts of Maine's campaign finance system before the November elections. Plaintiffs' request to enjoin trigger provisions, disclosure provisions, and gubernatorial contribution limits has been denied three times: by Justice Stephen Breyer, by a unanimous panel of the First Circuit Court of Appeals, and by the Maine District Court. It was only then that plaintiffs made a renewed application for emergency writ of injunction to Supreme Court Justice Kennedy, a highly unusual move that has not been granted for the past twenty years. On October 21, 2010 the Brennan Center filed its Opposition to Plaintiffs' Application for a Writ of Injunction.
– 10/21/10
Citizens United v. FEC (Amicus Brief)
The Brennan Center for Justice - serving as counsel for itself and several new media journalists - filed a supplemental amicus curiae brief in Citizens United v. FEC. The brief urged the Supreme Court to preserve landmark precedents that support limits on corporate spending in elections.
– 01/21/10
SpeechNow v. FEC (Amicus Brief)
The Brennan Center for Justice has submitted an amicus brief supporting the District Court decision to reject the constitutional challenge of Plaintiffs to contribution limits for organizations whose major purpose is the election or defeat of candidates for federal office.
– 12/21/09
Republican National Committee v. Federal Election Commission
The Brennan Center filed a brief amici curiae in Republican National Committee v. FEC defending the limits on raising and spending “soft money” imposed by the Bi-Partisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA).
– Ongoing
Randall v. Sorrell
This case involves constitutional challenges to several provisions of Vermont's full public funding law, most notably its mandatory spending limits.
– 06/26/06
Colorado Right to Life Committee v. Davidson
This case, filed in July 2003, involved a challenge to Colorado’s regulation of electioneering communications.
– 09/30/05
Anderson v. Spear
A month after the Supreme Court’s decision in McConnell v. FEC, the Sixth Circuit seemed to ignore McConnell in striking down many provisions of Kentucky campaign finance law.
– 11/01/04
Albuquerque v. Homans
This case involved a challenge to mandatory spending limits for mayor and city council in the City of Albuquerque.
– 10/25/04
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