[EL] McCommish & "triggers"

Mon Jun 27 13:46:09 PDT 2011

Here's a question for the list, germane to Rick's "New York City as a Model" post:  Are "triggers" necessarily dead after McCommish?  Consider two scenarios.

1.  The "Release" Model.  In this model, the state or city with a public financing program simply releases participating candidates from the expenditure cap if spending by a nonparticipating candidate exceeds the cap for participating candidates.  In some sense this "penalizes" speech by the nonparticipating candidate, but the penalty is nothing but the restoration of the libertarian or quasi-libertarian status quo that would have obtained absent the public financing program.  Unconstitutional?

2.  The "Matching Funds & Tightened Contribution Limit" Model.   If such a "release" from the applicable expenditure limit is not unconstitutional, then how about the following variant, which makes use of matching funds.  Assume a spending limit of $100,000 for participating candidates, and a contribution limit of $1000, which applies to all candidates.  In the event that a nonparticipating candidate spends more than $100,000, the spending limit for the participating candidate is raised in an amount equal to the "excess" spending by the nonparticipating candidate, provided, however, that the new spending must come from contributions of $200 or less, which contributions are matched 2:1 with public funds.

Is scenario #2 per-se unconstitutional, because the state is not merely releasing the participating candidate from spending limits (restoring the libertarian baseline), but rather is subsidizing speech antagonistic to the speech of the nonparticipating candidate exercising her First Amendment rights?  But what if it's actually much more difficult under scenario #2 for participating candidates to combat the speech of nonpaticipating candidates than in scenario #1?  In that case, it's hard to see how the "burden" placed on constitutionally protected speech under scenario #2 could rise to the level of constitutional significance, assuming that there's no constitutional objection to scenario #1.  (On the other hand, it would be no easy task for the courts to make this relative burden judgment . . .)

Thoughts?

-- Chris

Christopher S. Elmendorf
Professor of Law
University of California at Davis
400 Mrak Hall Drive
Davis, CA 95616
tel: 530.752.5756
________________________________
From: law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu [law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu] On Behalf Of Rick Hasen [rhasen at law.uci.edu]
Sent: Monday, June 27, 2011 1:12 PM
To: law-election at uci.edu
Subject: [EL] more news 6/27/11

“New York City as a Model?”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19748>
Posted on June 27, 2011<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19748> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

I have written this post<http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2011/06/27/the-court-and-the-future-of-public-financing/new-york-city-as-a-model-for-campaign-finance-laws> for the New York Times’ “Room for Debate” discussion, “Where to Now on Public Financing?”  Other contributors so far are Guy Charles<http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2011/06/27/the-court-and-the-future-of-public-financing/the-courts-battle-of-ideology>, Brad Smith<http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2011/06/27/the-court-and-the-future-of-public-financing/the-courts-separation-of-campaign-and-state>, and Zephyr Teachout<http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2011/06/27/the-court-and-the-future-of-public-financing/matching-funds-what-the-court-didnt-touch>.

My contribution begins:

It wasn’t all bad news for campaign finance reformers in the Supreme Court decision stripping Arizona’s matching funds provision from its law giving public financing for state candidates. Among other things<http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/90834/arizona-campaign-finance-supreme-court>, the court confirmed that whether governments enact public financing is “not our business.” The issue is how the plans provide the financing, and the big question now is whether New York City’s system can become a model for the country.

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Posted in campaign finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments Off
Meanwhile, in Chicago<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19745>
Posted on June 27, 2011<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19745> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Blagojevich guilty<http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/28/us/28blagojevich.html?hp>.

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Posted in chicanery<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=12> | Comments Off
Investigation Coming to Wisconsin Supreme Court?<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19740>
Posted on June 27, 2011<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19740> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Howard <http://howappealing.law.com/062711.html#042137> has the update.

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Posted in chicanery<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=12>, judicial elections<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=19> | Comments Off
Meanwhile, at the FEC<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19737>
Posted on June 27, 2011<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19737> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

The Republican Commissioners take another step away<http://electionlawblog.org/wp-content/uploads/11044293607.pdf> from effective disclosure.

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Posted in Uncategorized<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=1> | Comments Off
What Does Today’s Opinion Mean for NYC and FENA?<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19734>
Posted on June 27, 2011<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19734> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Stay tuned.<http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate>

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Posted in campaign finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments Off
“Chief Justice Roberts to Arizona: Take Your Thumb Off the Scale!”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19731>
Posted on June 27, 2011<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19731> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Hoersting<http://www.nationalreview.com/bench-memos/270581/chief-justice-roberts-arizona-take-your-thumb-scale-stephen-m-hoersting> at Bench Memos.

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Posted in campaign finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments Off
“Is the Court Energized by Its Critics?”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19727>
Posted on June 27, 2011<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19727> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Paul Clement <http://www.slate.com/id/2297410/entry/2297808/> on the Arizona case [Corrected post, original post said that this Breakfast Table entry was written by Dahlia Lithwick].

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Posted in campaign finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments Off
“The Arizona Campaign Finance Law: The Surprising Good News in the Supreme Court’s New Decision”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19725>
Posted on June 27, 2011<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19725> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

I have written this commentary<http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/90834/arizona-campaign-finance-supreme-court> for The New Republic.  It begins:

Campaign finance laws have now gone 0 for 5 in the Roberts Court. Monday’s Supreme Court decision<http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/10pdf/10-238.pdf> striking down the matching funds portion of Arizona’s voluntary public financing law—which provided extra public financing for candidates facing free-spending opponents or major outside spending—was no surprise. Indeed, I predicted<http://electionlawblog.org/archives/011095.html> laws like Arizona’s were doomed back in 2008, on the day the Court struck down<http://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=5092223370493741422&q=davis+v.+federal+election+commission&hl=en&as_sdt=2,5&as_vis=1> a portion of the McCain-Feingold law which raised contribution limits for candidates facing millionaire opponents. The Roberts Court saw both laws as impermissibly trying to level the electoral playing field. Since 2005, the Court has also struck down<http://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=13551506278581494953&hl=en&as_sdt=2&as_vis=1&oi=scholarr> Vermont’s campaign contribution limits as too low, narrowly interpreted<http://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=12228748998297097461&q=wisconsin+right+to+life+v+fec&hl=en&as_sdt=2,5&as_vis=1> the McCain-Feingold rules governing corporate campaign spending, and then dealt a death blow to those limits in its most controversial decision to date, Citizens United<http://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=6233137937069871624&q=citizens+united+v.+fec&hl=en&as_sdt=2,5&as_vis=1>.

Yet today’s decision brings three pieces of unexpected good news to those of us who believe that reasonable campaign finance regulation is not only constitutional, but essential to prevent corruption and ensure fairness in our democracy.

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More Statements on McComish<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19722>
Posted on June 27, 2011<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19722> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Campaign Finance Institute<http://www.cfinst.org/Press/PReleases/11-06-27/CFI_Statement_on_McComish_Decision.aspx>; Demos<http://www.demos.org/press.cfm?currentarticleID=D1F2E593-3FF4-6C82-551601FCFF7BAE2A>.

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Posted in campaign finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments Off
IJ Wins, with Links Galore on Arizona Case<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19719>
Posted on June 27, 2011<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19719> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

See here<http://www.makenolaw.org/blog/8-government/205-free-speech-wins-ij-a-goldwater-score-major-supreme-court-victory>.

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Timely<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19716>
Posted on June 27, 2011<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19716> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

A Special Edition of Gavel to Gavel looks at: Public Financing of Judicial Campaign<http://www.ncsconline.org/D_Research/gaveltogavel/Public%20Financing%20Special%20Edition.pdf>s.

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Posted in campaign finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, judicial elections<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=19> | Comments Off
News and Reactions on AZ Case<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19712>
Posted on June 27, 2011<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19712> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

NY Times;<http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/28/us/politics/28campaign.html> AP<http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SUPREME_COURT_CAMPAIGN_FINANCE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT>; SF Examiner<http://www.sfexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/2011/06/supreme-court-overturns-arizona-campaign-finance-law>; CCP<http://www.campaignfreedom.org/newsroom/detail/supreme-court-strikes-down-matching-funds-provision>; Brennan Center<http://www.brennancenter.org/content/resource/supreme_court_strikes_down_trigger_funds_but_public_financing_laws_remain_i>; Justice at Stake<http://www.gavelgrab.org/?p=22009>; Democracy21<http://bit.ly/meDJWQ>; Heather Gerken<http://balkin.blogspot.com/2011/06/campaign-finance-and-doctrinal-death.html>

More to come.

My New Republic piece is being edited and will be up shortly.

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My Thoughts on Today’s Ruling are Coming<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19709>
Posted on June 27, 2011<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19709> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

My initial thoughts will appear at The New Republic and I’ll be linking.

I actually see a couple of silver linings.

Stay tuned….

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Posted in campaign finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments Off
Justice Kagan’s Response on the Website Point<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19706>
Posted on June 27, 2011<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19706> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

“Finally, the Court remarks in a footnote that the Clean Elections Commission’s website once stated that the ‘‘Act was passed by the people of Arizona . . . to level the playing field.’ Ante, at 24, n. 10. I can understand why the majority does not place much emphasis on this point.Some members of the majority have ridiculed the practice of relying on subsequent statements by legislators to demonstrate an earlier Congress’s intent in enacting a statute. See, e.g., Sullivan v. Finkelstein, 496 U. S. 617, 631–632 (1990) (SCALIA, J., concurring in part); United States v. Hayes, 555 U. S. 415, 434–435 (2009) (ROBERTS,
C. J., dissenting). Yet here the majority makes a much stranger claim: that a statement appearing on a government website in 2011 (written by who-knows-whom?) reveals what hundreds of thousands of Arizona’s voters sought to do in 1998 when they enacted the Clean Elections Act by referendum. Just to state that proposition is to know it is wrong.”

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More Gold from J. Kagan<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19702>
Posted on June 27, 2011<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19702> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

“Pretend you are financing your campaign through private donations. Would you prefer that your opponent receive a guaranteed, upfront payment of $150,000, or that he receive only $50,000, with the possibility—a possibility that you mostly get to control—of collecting another $100,000 somewhere down the road? Me too.”

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And this from J. Kagan<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19699>
Posted on June 27, 2011<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19699> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

“If an ordinary citizen, without the hindrance of a law degree, thought this result an upending of First Amendment values, he would be correct.”

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The Dissent’s Ouch!<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19696>
Posted on June 27, 2011<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19696> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Justice Kagan: “So they are making a novel argument: that Arizona violated their First Amendment rights by disbursing funds to other speakers even though they could have received (but chose to spurn) the same financial assistance. Some people might call that chutzpah.”

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Ouch!<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19693>
Posted on June 27, 2011<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19693> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

A fn. in CJ Roberts’ opinion: “Prior to oral argument in this case, the Citizens Clean Elections Commission’s Web site stated that “ ‘The Citizens Clean Elections Act was passed by the people of Arizona in 1998 to level the playing field when it comes to running for office.’ ” AFEC Brief 10, n. 3 (quoting http://www.azcleanelections.gov/about-us/get-involved.aspx); Tr. of OralArg. 48. The Web site now says that “The Citizens Clean Elections Actwas passed by the people of Arizona in 1998 to restore citizen participa-tion and confidence in our political system.”

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Posted in campaign finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments Off
Arizona Free Enterprise Club’s Freedom PAC v. Bennett (McComish) Decided<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19690>
Posted on June 27, 2011<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=19690> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

The opinion is here<http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/10pdf/10-238.pdf>. It is 5-4, as expected, striking down the matching funds provision.

More to come after I’ve read and analyzed the 68 pages.

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--
Rick Hasen
Visiting Professor
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>
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William H. Hannon Distinguished Professor of Law
Loyola Law School
http://electionlawblog.org
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