Contribution Limits: Caps on First Amendment Activity

January 1, 2018  •  By IFS Staff  •    •  

Contribution limits are monetary restrictions on the amount an individual or group can donate to a political actor – usually a candidate, political party, or political action committee. The Supreme Court first allowed limits on contributions in Buckley v. Valeo. The Court’s ruling acknowledged that contribution limits were a restriction on First Amendment activity, but allowed them on the theory…

2020 shows money can’t buy elections, so let’s remove restrictive contribution limits

July 14, 2020   •  By Nathan Maxwell   •  , , ,

This piece originally appeared in the Washington Examiner on July 13, 2020.   We should have learned our lesson by now. In elections, it’s not ...

Pandemic Gives Incumbents Yet Another Advantage Over Challengers

May 4, 2020   •  By Tiffany Donnelly   •  , ,

The current public health crisis magnifies the disparity between challengers and incumbents. The entire country is almost singularly focused on the impact of COVID-19, ...

Bloomberg (Again) and DNC Show Why Contribution Limits Should be Eliminated

April 1, 2020   •  By Alex Baiocco   •  , ,

In early March, the failed presidential campaign of billionaire Michael Bloomberg added to the reams of evidence that money can’t buy electoral success. In ...

Bloomberg Campaign Shows Why Contribution Limits Should Be Eliminated

March 19, 2020   •  By Alex Baiocco   •  , ,

The obvious next step in the march towards truly free election campaigns is to remove all contribution limits. If billionaires like Bloomberg can contribute ...

Campaign finance limits take choices away from voters

December 17, 2019   •  By David Keating   •  ,

This piece originally appeared in Washington Examiner on December 17, 2019.   It happens every presidential election. A promising candidate joins the race, makes ...

Can the Dead Corrupt Politics?

October 16, 2019   •  By Ryan Morrison   •  , ,

Can a dead man’s unexpected donation corrupt the political process? That’s a question the Supreme Court may answer if it decides to hear the ...

Supreme Court needs to defend the First Amendment for Alaskan voters

September 3, 2019   •  By Allen Dickerson   •  ,

There is ample space to be found between striking down every limit no matter how high and permitting any limit no matter how low.

Don’t limit free speech with campaign contribution limits

August 26, 2019   •  By Luke Wachob   •  ,

Oregon should remain a leader in free speech, not fall back to the pack.

Thompson v. Hebdon

August 26, 2019   •  By Scott Blackburn   •  ,

This case, Thompson v. Hebdon, challenges Alaska’s $500 per election cycle limit on contributions from individuals to legislative and gubernatorial candidates. It also challenges ...

Contribution Limits Harm State and Local Leaders Running for President

August 6, 2019   •  By Mark D'Ostilio   •  , ,

Under FEC rules, presidential candidates are largely free to shift money from their past campaigns for federal office into their current presidential campaign accounts. ...

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