[EL] Citizens United Pushback

Fri Feb 24 18:31:39 PST 2012

Brad, doesn't the pervasive unpopularity of the decision cause tension
with your point of view about the marketplace of ideas?

On 2/24/12, Smith, Brad <BSmith at law.capital.edu> wrote:
> Rick asks, "
> Why the pushback about whether superpacs created by Citizens United? To
> defend the Supreme Court against charges it created monster"
>
> I never would have thought that calling out repeated factual errors by major
> media outlets would require some justification other than the obvious fact
> that repeated factual errors were being made by major media outlets.  To the
> extent that erroneous descriptions of Citizens United, erroneous reports of
> its consequences, and general bias have sometimes seemed the result of a
> purposeful attempt by opponents of Citizens United to give the impression
> that a "monster" was created, including xenophobic race-baiting about
> "foreigners," however, I suppose that might be the justification.
>
> Citizens United was, is and remains a success story. There  is more
> information in circulation; we've seen increased voter interest, more
> competitive races and more races that are competitive. None of the dire
> predictions made by opponents of the decision have come true, unless one
> considers increased spending itself a "dire" result, regardless of the
> consequences of that spending. Of course, everyone knew that increased
> spending would result, and in and of itself that is hardly a bad thing.
>
> But if we must be so tendentious, however, I think the question is best
> thought of in the opposite terms: why such hysteria about Super PACs and
> Citizens United? To justify the effort to limit the speech of one's
> political opponents, that's why.
>
>
>
> Bradley A. Smith
>
> Josiah H. Blackmore II/Shirley M. Nault
>
>    Professor of Law
>
> Capital University Law School
>
> 303 E. Broad St.
>
> Columbus, OH 43215
>
> 614.236.6317
>
> http://law.capital.edu/faculty/bios/bsmith.aspx
>
> ________________________________
> 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: Friday, February 24, 2012 7:51 PM
> To: law-election at uci.edu
> Subject: [EL] more news 2/24/12
>
> “Rick Santorum speaks at super PAC
> fundraiser”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=30517>
> Posted on February 24, 2012 4:49 pm<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=30517> by
> Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
>
> Politico<http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0212/73262.html>: “Rick
> Santorum on Thursday afternoon slipped away from the campaign trail to speak
> to a fundraiser for a supportive super PAC, despite denying previous reports
> that he planned to do so.”
>
> [Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D30517&title=%E2%80%9CRick%20Santorum%20speaks%20at%20super%20PAC%20fundraiser%E2%80%9D&description=>
> Posted in campaign finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments
> Off
> “Bill Maher gives $1 million to pro-Obama super PAC Priorities
> USA”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=30514>
> Posted on February 24, 2012 1:56 pm<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=30514> by
> Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
>
> WaPo
> reports<http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/election-2012/post/bill-maher-gives-1-million-to-obama-backing-super-pac-priorities-usa/2012/02/24/gIQAX6dqXR_blog.html>.
>
> [Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D30514&title=%E2%80%9CBill%20Maher%20gives%20%241%20million%20to%20pro-Obama%20super%20PAC%20Priorities%20USA%E2%80%9D&description=>
> Posted in campaign finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments
> Off
> Is Wendy Kaminer Related to the Abrams?<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=30510>
> Posted on February 24, 2012 12:50 pm<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=30510> by
> Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
>
> On Super PACs: She too has now
> accused<http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/12/02/the-new-york-times-disingenuous-campaign-against-citizens-united/253560/>
> the media of misrepresenting the effect of Citizens United on Super PACs.
> Please see my response to Floyd Abrams<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=28207>,
> and Dan Abrams<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=29512>.
>
> Why the pushback about whether superpacs created by Citizens United? To
> defend the Supreme Court against charges it created monster
>
> (You can watch me mix it up with Floyd Abrams about Citizens United at an
> event<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=30308> (to be webcast) at the University
> of Michigan on March 5.)
>
> [Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D30510&title=Is%20Wendy%20Kaminer%20Related%20to%20the%20Abrams%3F&description=>
> Posted in campaign finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments
> Off
> “Chief justice ‘very concerned’ about November’s retention
> election”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=30507>
> Posted on February 24, 2012 12:45 pm<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=30507> by
> Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
>
> Radio
> Iowa<http://www.radioiowa.com/2012/02/24/chief-justice-very-concerned-about-novembers-retention-election/>:
> “Four of the seven justices on the Iowa Supreme Court will be listed on
> November’s election ballot for a “retention” election and the court’s chief
> justice says he’s ‘very concerned.’ In 2010, three Iowa Supreme Court
> justices, including the former chief justice, were voted off the court after
> a campaign was launched against them because of the court’s 2009 ruling on
> same-sex marriage. The three justices appointed to replace them are on this
> November’s ballot for another retention vote, along with another justice
> who’s been on the court since 2003.”
>
> [Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D30507&title=%E2%80%9CChief%20justice%20%E2%80%98very%20concerned%E2%80%99%20about%20November%E2%80%99s%20retention%20election%E2%80%9D&description=>
> Posted in judicial elections<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=19> | Comments
> Off
> Kentucky Supreme Court Blocks State Legislative
> Districts<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=30504>
> Posted on February 24, 2012 12:34 pm<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=30504> by
> Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
>
> See
> here<http://www.kentucky.com/2012/02/24/2082072/kentucky-supreme-court-hears-oral.html>.
> The remedy is use of the 2002 districts, which could well violate one
> person, one vote.  Who will sue in federal court?
>
> [Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D30504&title=Kentucky%20Supreme%20Court%20Blocks%20State%20Legislative%20Districts&description=>
> Posted in redistricting<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=6> | Comments Off
> “Restore Our Future Super PAC Illegally Coordinates with the Romney
> Campaign”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=30501>
> Posted on February 24, 2012 12:06 pm<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=30501> by
> Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
>
> Fred Wertheimer statement<http://bit.ly/zxhuHK>.
>
> [Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D30501&title=%E2%80%9CRestore%20Our%20Future%20Super%20PAC%20Illegally%20Coordinates%20with%20the%20Romney%20Campaign%E2%80%9D&description=>
> Posted in campaign finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments
> Off
> Bopp, Potter on NPR’s Fresh Air<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=30498>
> Posted on February 24, 2012 12:04 pm<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=30498> by
> Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
>
> Links to
> Bopp<http://www.npr.org/2012/02/23/147294511/understanding-the-impact-of-citizens-united>,
> Potter<http://www.npr.org/2012/02/23/147294509/examining-the-superpac-with-colberts-trevor-potter>.
>
> [Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D30498&title=Bopp%2C%20Potter%20on%20NPR%E2%80%99s%20Fresh%20Air&description=>
> Posted in campaign finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments
> Off
> “In legislatures and courtrooms, busy weeks ahead for voter
> ID”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=30495>
> Posted on February 24, 2012 11:46 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=30495> by
> Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
>
> MSNBC
> reports<http://nbcpolitics.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/24/10499137-in-legislatures-and-courtrooms-busy-weeks-ahead-for-voter-id?ocid=twitter>.
>
> [Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D30495&title=%E2%80%9CIn%20legislatures%20and%20courtrooms%2C%20busy%20weeks%20ahead%20for%20voter%20ID%E2%80%9D&description=>
> Posted in election administration<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>, The
> Voting Wars<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60>, voter
> id<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=9> | Comments Off
> “Watchdog groups say recycled ’07 Romney ad violates campaign finance
> laws”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=30492>
> Posted on February 24, 2012 11:00 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=30492> by
> Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
>
> Politico<http://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/02/watchdog-groups-say-recycled-romney-ad-violates-campaign-115471.html>:
> “But Paul Ryan, a lawyer at the Campaign Legal Center, said the FEC’s
> regulations on coordination and republication of candidate materials are
> ‘crystal clear,’ and that Restore Our Future is violating them regardless of
> where they purchased the footage. It also doesn’t matter, he said, that the
> ad footage comes from a past election cycle.”
>
> Having looked at the relevant
> regulation<http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2011/janqtr/11cfr109.23.htm>
> and
> background<http://www.fec.gov/law/cfr/ej_compilation/2002/2002-27_Coordinated_Independent_Expenditures.pdf#page=21>,
> I think Paul’s right.
>
> What would be the consequences if the FEC goes after Restore our Future for
> the violation?  The group may eventually be be fined.  But so what?  That’s
> the beauty of these Super PACs.  They are unaccountable and will disappear
> after the election.  Any complaint won’t get decided before the election.
>
> [Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D30492&title=%E2%80%9CWatchdog%20groups%20say%20recycled%20%E2%80%9907%20Romney%20ad%20violates%20campaign%20finance%20laws%E2%80%9D&description=>
> Posted in campaign finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments
> Off
> “Voter Suppression Battle Just the Latest Fight to Protect the Vote;
> Disenfranchisement Is a Constant Theme Running Through African American
> History”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=30489>
> Posted on February 24, 2012 10:48 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=30489> by
> Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
>
> Carl Chancellor has written this article
> <http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2012/02/black_suffrage.html> for the
> Center for American Progress.
>
> [Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D30489&title=%E2%80%9CVoter%20Suppression%20Battle%20Just%20the%20Latest%20Fight%20to%20Protect%20the%20Vote%3B%20Disenfranchisement%20Is%20a%20Constant%20Theme%20Running%20Through%20African%20American%20History%E2%80%9D&description=>
> Posted in campaign finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments
> Off
> Constitutional Accountability Center Previews D.C. Circuit Argument Monday
> in LaRoque Voting Rights Act Case<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=30486>
> Posted on February 24, 2012 9:55 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=30486> by
> Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
>
> Here<http://theusconstitution.org/text-history/1309/voting-rights-act-back-dc-circuit-laroque-v-holder-oral-argument-preview>.
>
> [Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D30486&title=Constitutional%20Accountability%20Center%20Previews%20D.C.%20Circuit%20Argument%20Monday%20in%20LaRoque%20Voting%20Rights%20Act%20Case&description=>
> Posted in Voting Rights Act<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=15> | Comments
> Off
> “Public Citizen Applauds SEC Commissioner for Speaking Out for Disclosure of
> Corporate Political Spending”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=30482>
> Posted on February 24, 2012 9:52 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=30482> by
> Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
>
> Lisa
> Gilbert:<http://www.citizen.org/pressroom/pressroomredirect.cfm?ID=3536>
> “The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is getting with the times and
> is now receptive to Public Citizen’s push to require publicly traded
> companies to disclose their political spending. At today’s conference, ‘SEC
> Speaks,’ Securities and Exchange Commissioner Luis Aguilar loudly championed
> the key reform of political spending disclosure, saying that ‘investors are
> not receiving adequate disclosure, and as the investor’s advocate, the
> commission should act swiftly to rectify the situation.’”
>
> I have posted Commissioner Aguilar’s comments at this link.
> <http://electionlawblog.org/wp-content/uploads/aguilar.pdf>
>
> [Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D30482&title=%E2%80%9CPublic%20Citizen%20Applauds%20SEC%20Commissioner%20for%20Speaking%20Out%20for%20Disclosure%20of%20Corporate%20Political%20Spending%E2%80%9D&description=>
> Posted in campaign finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments
> Off
> “How the South Carolina ‘dead voters’ hoax
> collapsed”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=30479>
> Posted on February 24, 2012 9:10 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=30479> by
> Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
>
> Must read
> expose<http://www.southernstudies.org/2012/02/how-the-south-carolina-dead-voters-hoax-collapsed.html>
> of Fraudulent Fraud Squad, South Carolina edition.
>
> [Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D30479&title=%E2%80%9CHow%20the%20South%20Carolina%20%E2%80%98dead%20voters%E2%80%99%20hoax%20collapsed%E2%80%9D&description=>
> Posted in election administration<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>,
> fraudulent fraud squad<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=8>, The Voting
> Wars<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60>, voter
> id<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=9> | Comments Off
> Trevor Potter Talks to NPR’s Fresh Air about Campaign
> Finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=30476>
> Posted on February 24, 2012 8:51 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=30476> by
> Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
>
> Here<http://www.clcblog.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=449:trevor-potter-discusses-the-legacy-of-citizens-united-on-nprs-fresh-air>.
>
> [Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D30476&title=Trevor%20Potter%20Talks%20to%20NPR%E2%80%99s%20Fresh%20Air%20about%20Campaign%20Finance&description=>
> Posted in campaign finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments
> Off
> --
> Rick Hasen
> Chancellor's 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://electionlawblog.org
>

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