[EL] ELB News and Commentary 12/6/11

JBoppjr at aol.com JBoppjr at aol.com
Tue Dec 6 12:10:23 PST 2011


Rich's comment could not be more wrong:
 
Whether or not the Court sets the case for a full hearing, it is likely  to 
conclude that our current law does not violate the First Amendment rights 
of  foreigners. That would be the right result. But it would require ignoring 
the  precedent of _Citizens United  v. FEC_ 
(http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/08-205.ZS.html) , which upheld similar rights for corporations
 
The analysis of CU requires (1) is the speech protected by the First  
Amendment, (2) if so is there a compelling governmental interest sufficient to  
abridge it.   Regarding CU's (1), yes speech by foreigners, aliens,  and the 
Red Chinese Army is speech protected by the First Amendment.   However, re 
CU's (2) CU did not decide if there is a compelling governmental  interest 
sufficient to abridge the speech of foreigners.  That would be the  question 
before the court not addressed in CU.
 
So CU applies and use of its analysis is perfectly consistent with a  
holding that the speech of the Red Chinese Army may be banned.  Jim  Bopp
 
 
In a message dated 12/6/2011 12:21:25 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
rhasen at law.uci.edu writes:

 
_“Will Foreigners  Decide the 2012 Election? The Extreme Unintended 
Consequences of Citizens  United.”_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26137)  
Posted  on _December 5, 2011 9:18 pm_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26137) 
 by _Rick Hasen_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3)   
 
I have written _this  commentary_ 
(http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/98162/citizens-united-foreign-money)  for The New Republic.  It begins: 
Let’s say that the leader of a foreign country, one with military or  
economic interests adverse to the United States, took a look at our 2012  
elections and decided to spend millions of dollars in hopes of determining  which 
party held control over the House, the Senate, or the White House.  Most of 
us would consider that scenario highly distressing, to say the  least. And 
current federal law does indeed bar most foreign individuals,  entities, and 
governments from spending money to influence U.S. elections  and contributing 
to candidates. 
This isn’t a law that inspires much opposition in Washington: Neither  
party asserts that foreigners have a First Amendment right to participate in  
our elections. But according to the twisted logic of the Supreme Court’s  
recent decision in _Citizens United  v. FEC_ 
(http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/08-205.ZS.html) , the law’s constitutionality has been called into  
question. 
Fortunately, the Court may be wise enough not to use its own flawed  
decision as a future roadmap. On Friday, Supreme Court justices will meet in  a 
private conference _to  consider_ 
(http://www.supremecourt.gov/Search.aspx?FileName=/docketfiles/11-275.htm)  whether to hear _Bluman  v. FEC_ 
(https://ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show_public_doc?2010cv1766-37) , a case that 
concerns the rights of foreign non-citizens  living in the U.S to spend money in 
U.S. elections. Whether or not the  Court sets the case for a full hearing, 
it is likely to conclude that our  current law does not violate the First 
Amendment rights of  foreigners. That would be the right result. But it would 
require  ignoring the precedent of _Citizens United  v. FEC_ 
(http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/08-205.ZS.html) , which upheld similar rights for  
corporations.
it concludes: 
In _their_ (http://electionlawblog.org/wp-content/uploads/bluman-js.pdf)   
_briefs_ 
(http://electionlawblog.org/wp-content/uploads/Bluman-Opp-to-Motion-to-Dismiss-or-Affirm.pdf)   before the Supreme Court, the Bluman plaintiffs 
point to some of my  _earlier  writing_ 
(http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1620576)  noting the contradiction between the logic of 
Citizens  United and the government’s position in this case. They—though not  
most of the campaign finance deregulation lobby, which (aside from the 
_Institute  for Justice_ 
(http://www.scribd.com/doc/67591387/Bluman-v-FEC-amicus-brief) ) has sat out the case—urge the Court to hear the case,  rather than 
simply affirm the lower court, to bring additional coherence to  the law. 
But what the current challenge makes clear is that the Supreme  Court has erred
—not in its failure to extend election spending rights to  foreign 
nationals, but in the faulty reasoning behind its decision in  Citizens United.


 
(http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26137&title=“
Will%20Foreigners%20Decide%20the%202012%20Election?%20The%20Extreme%20Unintended%20Consequences%20of%20Citizens%20United.”&description=) 


Posted in _campaign finance_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10)   | 
Comments Off 

 
_“The Broken System of  Campaign Finance”_ 
(http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26134)  
Posted  on _December 5, 2011 9:02 pm_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26134) 
 by _Rick Hasen_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3)   
 
The San Diego Union Tribune offers _this  editorial_ 
(http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/dec/05/the-broken-system-of-campaign-finance/) . 
 
 
(http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26134&title=“The%20Broken%20System%20of%20Campaign%20Finance”&description=) 


Posted in _campaign finance_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10)   | 
Comments Off 

 
_“Mapping the Future:  Chandler’s seat is focus of redistricting in 
Kentucky, but Democrats may want  more”_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26131)  
Posted  on _December 5, 2011 8:39 pm_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26131) 
 by _Rick Hasen_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3)   
 
The Fix _reports_ 
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/chandlers-seat-is-focus-of-redistricting-in-kentucky-but-democrats-may-want-more/201
1/12/05/gIQAlskvWO_blog.html) . 
 
 
(http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26131&title=“Mapping%20the%20Future:%20Chandler’
s%20seat%20is%20focus%20of%20redistricting%20in%20Kentucky,%20but%20Democrats%20may%20want%20more”
&description=) 


Posted in _redistricting_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=6)   | Comments 
Off 

 
_Redistricting Back  Before the California Supreme Court_ 
(http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26126)  
Posted  on _December 5, 2011 8:00 pm_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26126) 
 by _Rick Hasen_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3)   
 
Horvitz and Levy’s “At the Lectern” blog _reports_ 
(http://www.atthelectern.com/redistricting-back-before-supreme-court/) . 
 
 
(http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26126&title=Redistricting%20Back%20Before%20the%20California%20Supreme%20Court&de
scription=) 


Posted in _citizen commissions_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=7) ,  
_redistricting_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=6)   | Comments Off 

 
_“AlterNet: Bullies,  Liars and Impostors: How Facebook and Go Daddy Shield 
Scott Walker’s Online  Guerillas”_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26124)  
Posted  on _December 5, 2011 7:57 pm_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26124) 
 by _Rick Hasen_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3)   
 
_AlterNet_ (http://www.alternet.org/module/printversion/153306)  on  
chicanery in the Wisconsin recall and false information spread over the  Internet. 
 
 
(http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26124&title=“
AlterNet:%20Bullies,%20Liars%20and%20Impostors:%20How%20Facebook%20and%20Go%20Daddy%20Shield%20Scott%20Walker’s%20Online%20Guerillas”
&description=) 


Posted in _campaigns_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=59) , _chicanery_ 
(http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=12) , _recall elections_ 
(http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=11)   | Comments Off 

 
_“Gingrich’s Health  Care Consultancy: Is It Lobbying?”_ 
(http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26121)  
Posted  on _December 5, 2011 7:54 pm_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26121) 
 by _Rick Hasen_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3)   
 
NPR _reports_ 
(http://www.npr.org/2011/12/05/143146399/gingrichs-health-care-consultancy-is-it-lobbying) . 
 
 
(http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26121&title=“Gingrich’s%20Health%20Care%20Consultancy:%20Is%20It%20Lobbying?”
&description=) 


Posted in _lobbying_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=28)   | Comments Off 

 
_“LA’s Civic Action  Against Dark Money”_ 
(http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26119)  
Posted  on _December 5, 2011 7:52 pm_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26119) 
 by _Rick Hasen_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3)   
 
Mother Jones _reports_ 
(http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/12/la-civic-action-against-dark-money) . 
 
 (http://www.ad
dtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26119&title=“LA’s%20Civic%20Action%20Against%20Dark%20Money”&description=) 


Posted in _campaign finance_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10)   | 
Comments Off 

 
_“Justice Kennedy  Dissents: What Campaign Finance And The Sixth Amendment 
Have In Common.”_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26116)   
Posted  on _December 5, 2011 7:40 pm_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26116) 
 by _Rick Hasen_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3)   
 
HuffPo _reports_ 
(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/05/justice-kennedy-dissents-campaign-finance-sixth-amendment_n_1126493.html) . 
 
 
(http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26116&title=“
Justice%20Kennedy%20Dissents:%20What%20Campaign%20Finance%20And%20The%20Sixth%20Amendment%20Have%20In%20Common.”&description=) 


Posted in _campaign finance_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10) ,  
_Supreme Court_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=29)   | Comments Off 

 
_“Maryland Case May  Discourage Political Dirty Tricks”_ 
(http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26113)  
Posted  on _December 5, 2011 7:36 pm_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26113) 
 by _Rick Hasen_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3)   
 
NPR offers _this  report_ 
(http://www.npr.org/2011/12/05/143142090/maryland-case-may-dissuade-political-dirty-tricks)  on the robocall case. The case 
has now _gone  to the jury._ 
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/jury-begins-deliberations-in-maryland-robocall-case/2011/12/05/gIQAN73nXO_st
ory.html)  
 
 
(http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26113&title=“Maryland%20Case%20May%20Discourage%20Political%20Dirty%20Tricks”
&description=) 


Posted in _campaigns_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=59) , _chicanery_ 
(http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=12)   | Comments Off 

 
_“Democrats win fight  over Colorado Congressional boundaries”_ 
(http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26111)  
Posted  on _December 5, 2011 9:07 am_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26111) 
 by _Rick Hasen_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3)   
 
_Denver  Post_ (http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_19473229) : “
Democrats have won this decade’s congressional redistricting  battle. The 
Colorado Supreme Court this morning affirmed the ruling of a  Denver’ chief 
district court judge, who selected the Democrats’ map after an  October trial. The 
Supreme Court said in its ruling that a written opinion  would be issued 
later.”  You can find the apparently unanimous court  order _here_ 
(http://www.courts.state.co.us/userfiles/file/Court_Probation/Supreme_Court/Case_Announc
ements/Files/2011/11SC842-%20Order%20and%20Mandate.pdf) . 
 
 
(http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26111&title=“
Democrats%20win%20fight%20over%20Colorado%20Congressional%20boundaries”&description=) 


Posted in _redistricting_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=6)   | Comments 
Off 

 
_Read the Oppositions  to Texas Congressional Redistricting Stay Request_ 
(http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26106)  
Posted  on _December 5, 2011 9:04 am_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26106) 
 by _Rick Hasen_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3)   
 
_Here_ (http://electionlawblog.org/wp-content/uploads/pls-cong-opp.pdf)   
and _here_ (http://electionlawblog.org/wp-content/uploads/malc-cong-opp.pdf) 
.  The briefing now appears complete, unless Texas files an optional reply.  
 Justice Scalia, or the Court, could rule at any time. 
 
 
(http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26106&title=Read%20the%20Oppositions%20to%20Texas%20Congressional%20Redistricting
%20Stay%20Request&description=) 


Posted in _redistricting_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=6) , _Voting 
Rights Act_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=15)   | Comments Off 

 
_A Repeat of Mid-Decade  Redistricting Coming to Texas?_ 
(http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26103)  
Posted  on _December 5, 2011 8:47 am_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26103) 
 by _Rick Hasen_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3)   
 
_Could  be._ 
(http://txredistricting.org/post/13782484051/gop-state-chair-promises-to-push-to-have-legislature)  
 
 
(http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http://electionlawblog.org/?p=26103&title=A%20Repeat%20of%20Mid-Decade%20Redistricting%20Coming%20to%20Texas?&d
escription=) 


Posted in _redistricting_ (http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=6)   | Comments 
Off 

-- 
Rick Hasen
Professor of Law and Political  Science
UC Irvine School of Law
401 E. Peltason Dr., Suite  1000
Irvine, CA 92697-8000
949.824.3072 - office
949.824.0495 -  fax
_rhasen at law.uci.edu_ (mailto:rhasen at law.uci.edu) 
_http://law.uci.edu/faculty/page1_r_hasen.html_ 
(http://law.uci.edu/faculty/page1_r_hasen.html) 
_http://electionlawblog.org_ (http://electionlawblog.org/) 



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