Institute For Free Speech

Disclosure: A Threat to Associational Privacy
January 1, 2018  •  By IFS staff  •    •  

Disclosure, in the campaign finance context, refers to laws and regulations requiring candidates and political groups to report information about their activities to the government, which then makes that information available publicly. The required information varies greatly, depending on the affected organization and the local, state, or federal government mandating the disclosure. Disclosure rules fall into two broad categories: disclosure…

In Pursuit of Greater Privacy: A More Nuanced Approach to Disclosure of Candidate Contributions in the Internet Age (Updated July 2026)
July 29, 2026   •  By Helen Knowles-Gardner   •  ,

The nation’s laws have fallen well behind the technological advances of the Internet Age, and, as a result, the privacy of every American has ...

Free Speech Arguments – Are Maine’s Restrictions on Independent Expenditure Groups Constitutional? (Dinner Table Action, et al. v. Schneider, et al.)
July 29, 2026   •  By IFS Staff   •  , ,

Dinner Table Action, et al. v. Schneider, et al. argued before the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit on July 29, 2026.

Institute for Free Speech Urges Supreme Court to Protect Public Policy Discussion from Campaign Finance Overreach
July 13, 2026   •  By IFS Staff   •  , , ,

Alaska ordered a nonprofit to register and disclose its donors over speech that never mentioned the ballot measure it was accused of opposing

Court Cases About Money and Speech in Politics
June 22, 2026   •  By Brad Smith   •  , ,

Maybe the court was wise not to hand government, and self-interested legislators, the power to decide who is speaking too much, and which views ...

The Supreme Court Protected Donor Privacy. The IRS Didn’t Get the Memo.
June 21, 2026   •  By Brad Smith and Brett Nolan   •  ,

The federal government is still fighting to collect nonprofit donor information despite Supreme Court warnings that such demands chill free speech.

Seventy years ago, the NAACP stood up for all of us
June 16, 2026   •  By Helen Knowles-Gardner   •  , , ,

June 1 marks the 70th anniversary of Attorney General John M. Patterson’s effort to oust the NAACP from Alabama.

Campaign finance disclosures should fight corruption, not fuel political voyeurism
June 10, 2026   •  By Tiffany Donnelly   •  ,

Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas of musical act TLC is no stranger to the spotlight — but it’s usually for her talent, not for what should be private ...

Oklahoma ethics rules provide protection from ‘dark money’
May 24, 2026   •  By David Keating   •  , , ,

We don’t need a constitutional amendment that sacrifices essential First Amendment rights for the illusion of greater transparency.

Free Speech Arguments – IRS Donor Disclosure Law: What First Amendment Standard of Review Applies? (The Buckeye Institute v. Internal Revenue Service)
April 29, 2026   •  By IFS Staff   •  ,

The Buckeye Institute v. Internal Revenue Service, argued before the Sixth Circuit on April 29, 2026.

Free Speech Arguments – Can Government Officials Force Organizations to Disclose their Registered Agents in Ads? (Kline, et al. v. No on EE – A Bad Deal for Colorado, et al.)
April 15, 2026   •  By IFS Staff   •  ,

Kline, et al. v. No on EE – A Bad Deal for Colorado, et al. heard arguments in the case on April 14, 2026.

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