FEC: An Agency Tasked with Regulating First Amendment Activity

January 1, 2018  •  By IFS Staff  •    •  

The Federal Election Commission is the independent agency charged with enforcing federal campaign finance law and enacting campaign finance regulations. The FEC was created after the Nixon Administration’s Justice Department pursued criminal campaign finance charges against the President’s critics. In light of that effort, Congress correctly rejected the idea of letting a future president effectively control a government agency tasked…

Looking Ahead: Major Free Speech Developments to Expect Throughout Remainder of 2021

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April 22, 2021   •  By Alex Baiocco   •  , , , , , , ,

Last year, the Institute for Free Speech pointed to several trends likely to impact Americans’ political speech rights. Unfortunately, efforts to restrict speech, press, ...

Comments to FEC on Draft Statement of Policy

April 8, 2021   •  By Alan Gura   •  ,

The Institute for Free Speech supports the proposed policy clarification regarding the closing of Federal Election Commission complaint files at the initial stage of ...

How the For the People Act could supercharge cancel culture

April 2, 2021   •  By Brad Smith   •  , , , ,

Many of H.R. 1's provisions would expose supporters of controversial causes, providing new ways to dox people and turbocharging an already malignant cancel culture.

IFS Chairman Bradley A. Smith Criticizes “Cynicism” of S. 1 in Opening Statement at Senate Rules Committee Hearing

March 24, 2021   •  By Luke Wachob   •  , , , , , , ,

At a March 24 hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, Institute for Free Speech Chairman Bradley A. Smith warned that ...

Testimony of Bradley A. Smith Before the U.S. Senate Rules and Administration Committee on S. 1

The Institute for Free Speech writes to express serious concerns about the devastating effect H.R. 1 would have on Americans’ freedom of speech and ...

As H.R. 1 Moves to the Senate, Consider What Motivates Politicians

March 16, 2021   •  By Alex Baiocco   •  , , , , ,

In comments celebrating the House of Representatives’ partisan passage of H.R. 1, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) explained that achieving the Democrats’ legislative agenda will ...

“For the People Act” gives politicians more power, curtails speech

The threats to free speech in the so-called “For the People Act” span hundreds of pages and are too numerous to cover in their ...

Letter to U.S. House of Representatives in Opposition to H.R. 1

The Institute for Free Speech strongly opposes H.R. 1, the Orwellian “For the People Act.” More appropriately known as the “For the Politicians Act,” ...

Letter to U.S. House Administration Committee on H.R. 1’s Harms to Speech and Assembly Rights

The Institute for Free Speech writes to express serious concerns about the devastating effect H.R. 1 would have on Americans’ freedom of speech and ...

Nine Former FEC Commissioners Warn of “Ruinous Effect” of H.R. 1 and S. 1

February 9, 2021   •  By Luke Wachob   •  , , , ,

Nine former FEC commissioners fiercely criticized both H.R. 1 and S. 1 in a letter to Congressional leaders. The deceptively named “For the People ...

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