[EL] Serious Question About Romney Overseas Trip

[Samuel Bagenstos]

Given the recent track record of this list, I hesitate even to ask this question.  But I do think the answer is within the collective knowledge of listmembers, and I am genuinely curious.  I thought it was unusual when Barack Obama travelled abroad for a campaign swing as a nonincumbent presidential candidate in 2008.  Was there any precedent for that trip?  Is this something that presidential candidates have always or often done?  Similarly, it seems to me interesting that Mitt Romney is using his trip abroad to host fundraisers in other countries.  Is that something that Barack Obama or other presidential candidates have done?  I assume there is no legal restriction on holding a fundraiser on foreign soil.  Is that right?  Do my fellow listmembers believe such a restriction would be unconstitutional?  (Not a restriction on expats giving money to US elections, which I think would be clearly unconstitutional, but a restriction on holding fundraising events on foreign soil.)  These are serious questions, and I am honestly interested in the factual and legal answers.  

Thanks.


Samuel R. Bagenstos
Professor of Law
University of Michigan Law School
625 S. State St.
Ann Arbor, MI  48109
sambagen at umich.edu
http://web.law.umich.edu/_FacultyBioPage/facultybiopagenew.asp?ID=411
http://disabilitylaw.blogspot.com/
Twitter: @sbagen





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