Institute For Free Speech
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Political Spending: Civic Engagement is Not a Threat to Democracy
January 1, 2018  •  By IFS Staff  •    •  

The First Amendment guarantees every American freedom of speech. That freedom includes the right to spend money on speech. Without money, a political group cannot buy ads, print fliers, organize protests, or hire staff. Short of shouting one’s opinions on a street corner, it takes money to spread a message. Recognizing this relationship, the Supreme Court has long prohibited the…

“Dark Money” Documentary Warns Viewers of the Dangers of Postcards
October 4, 2018   •  By Eric Peterson   •  ,

Earlier this week, PBS aired the documentary, Dark Money. The film is directed and produced by Kimberly Reed, previously known for her autobiographical documentary, Prodigal Sons. Reed’s ...

Money spent in Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court confirmation battle is good for democracy
August 16, 2018   •  By David Keating   •  , ,

America enters a generational Supreme Court nomination battle divided. But one aspect of the fight over nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh shows our democracy is ...

2018 May Be the Year of the Political Outsider, No Thanks to Campaign Finance “Reform”
July 18, 2018   •  By Alex Baiocco   •  , , ,

At every level of government, 2018 is experiencing a surge in political outsiders and newcomers running for office. The moment is also notable for ...

Another Upstart Challenger Defeats a Drastically Better-Funded Opponent
July 9, 2018   •  By Scott Blackburn   •  ,

On June 26, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a challenger for New York’s 14th Congressional District, defeated incumbent Rep. Joe Crowley. Crowley spent over $3.4 million. Ocasio-Cortez ...

Comments to FEC on Notice 2018-05 (Rulemaking Petition Concerning Former Candidates’ Personal Use)
May 21, 2018   •  By Allen Dickerson   •  , ,

The Institute for Free Speech (“the Institute”) respectfully submits the following comments in response to Notice 2018-05.[2] That notice concerns potential “rulemaking to clarify ...

No, OpenSecrets, Nonprofits Are Not “Fueling” an Increase in Political Ads
May 16, 2018   •  By Joe Albanese   •  ,

Understanding election spending can be difficult. Complex campaign finance laws and numerous categories of political giving and spending are enough to make your eyes ...

Did a D.C. Federal Court Fail the “Major Purpose Test”?
May 14, 2018   •  By Mike Columbo   •  , , ,

A recent opinion by Judge Christopher R. Cooper of the federal District Court in Washington, D.C. poses new risks for advocacy groups and their ...

Virginia ranked A+ for political free speech rights
May 10, 2018   •  By Joe Albanese   •  , ,

IMAGINE that you lived in a state where it was illegal to express too much support for a candidate. Such a law would be ...

Democracy Faces Many Challenges, But Free Speech is Not One of Them
May 3, 2018   •  By Joe Albanese   •  ,

On Tuesday, the Brookings Institution held an event entitled “Democracy’s resilience: Is America’s democracy threatened?” During the event, a panel of scholars discussed trends ...

Curtailing the Cudgel of ‘Coordination’ by Curing Confusion: How States Can Fix What the Feds Got Wrong on Campaign Finance

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April 20, 2018   •  By IFS Staff   •  , , ,

Abstract: The theory behind laws prohibiting coordinated communications is intuitive and simple. If a candidate for office, who is subject to statutory limits on ...

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