Institute For Free Speech

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…

Testimony of David Keating Before the U.S. House Committee on House Administration on H.R. 1
February 14, 2019   •  By David Keating   •  , , , , , , , ,

One way to understand how H.R. 1 would harm nonprofit civic and advocacy groups is to apply its provisions to common advocacy and operating ...

H.R. 1 Would Undo Watergate-Era Protections Against Government Interference in Election Campaigns
February 13, 2019   •  By David Keating   •  , ,

This portion of the bill will further enhance the role of the federal government in election campaigns. Tax-financing will increase the risk that partisan ...

Testimony of Bradley A. Smith Before the U.S. House Oversight and Reform Committee on H.R. 1
February 6, 2019   •  By Brad Smith   •  , , , , , , ,

Despite proponents’ insistence that H.R. 1 is “For the People,” the bill is anything but. More appropriately labeled the “For the Politicians Act,” H.R. ...

Comments to FEC on Notice 2018-16
January 31, 2019   •  By Allen Dickerson   •  , , ,

On behalf of the Institute for Free Speech (“Institute”), we respectfully submit the following in response to the Federal Election Commission’s (“FEC” or “Commission”) ...

Analysis of H.R. 1 (Part Two)
January 31, 2019   •  By Brad Smith   •  ,

In a nutshell, H.R. 1 does away with the FEC’s existing bipartisan structure to allow for partisan control of the regulation of campaigns and ...

Another Reason to Simplify Campaign Laws: Allowing Free Rides to the Polls
November 6, 2018   •  By David Keating   •  , , ,

Three cheers for Uber and Lyft for offering discounted (and, in many cases, free) rides to voters on Election Day. It’s a shame that the law ...

Petition to FEC for Rulemaking to Revise 11 C.F.R. § 100.52
August 27, 2018   •  By Allen Dickerson   •  , ,

Pursuant to 11 C.F.R. §§ 200.1-200.6, the Institute for Free Speech petitions the Federal Election Commission to conduct a rulemaking to amend the definition ...

Court Ruling on Independent Expenditures Creates New Risks for Groups
August 23, 2018   •  By IFS Staff   •  , , , ,

Update (10/5): On October 4, the FEC provided guidance following U.S. District Court decision in CREW v. FEC. Read the FEC’s guidance here. Update ...

FEC ‘compromise’ could threaten free speech online
July 16, 2018   •  By Eric Peterson   •  , ,

Is your freedom to use the Internet to express your political opinions about to change drastically? Depending on the actions of the Federal Election ...

Part II: More on Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s Campaign Finance Opinions
July 5, 2018   •  By IFS Staff   •  , , ,

Hon. Brett Kavanaugh United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (2006-Present) This post is the second in a series exploring ...

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