[EL] Wisconsin John Doe ruling

Thu Jul 16 06:38:08 PDT 2015

Tyler,

Don't you know you are not only wrong on the law of coordination,  you're
on the wrong side of history?

By all means, do keep speaking.

It's your right do so...

And others need to understand: Some actually condone the acts in Wisconsin.

Cordially,

Steve Hoersting
On Jul 16, 2015 9:32 AM, "Tyler Creighton" <tyler at rethinkmedia.org> wrote:

> The state's top election official has warned *the ruling could have dire
>> consequences for state laws aimed at allowing the public to know who pays
>> for election campaigns and how much can be donated by wealthy interests.* Candidates
>> in Wisconsin could have direct control over millions of dollars in
>> corporate contributions and operate secret committees under a judge’s
>> interpretation of campaign finance law that the state Supreme Court
>> affirmed.
>
>
> “Affirming the John Doe judge’s interpretation of Wisconsin law regarding
>> coordination *would result in candidate’s direct control over millions
>> of dollars of undisclosed corporate and individual contributions without
>> limitation on the amounts accepted*,” Kevin Kennedy, the director and
>> general counsel of the state’s Government Accountability Board said in the
>> court affidavit. “A candidate could operate secret committees and direct
>> them to run overwhelming and negative advertising, while the candidate
>> remains above the fray and the public would not know the true source of the
>> contributions and expenditures.”
>
>
>
> http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_50f22c3b-27c9-5906-92e8-ded75ed50954.html#.Vaer_5MmWmU.twitter
>
> CMD's Mary Bottari also has great background on this case here:
> http://www.prwatch.org/news/2015/07/12885/disappearance-john-doe
>
> *Tyler Creighton* | tyler at rethinkmedia.org  |  Media Associate
> ReThink Media <http://rethinkmedia.org> | (925) 548-2189 mobile
> @ReThinkDemocrcy <https://twitter.com/rethinkdemocrcy> | @ReThink_Media
> <https://twitter.com/rethink_media> | @TylerCreighton
> <http://www.twitter.com/tylercreighton>
>
> On Thu, Jul 16, 2015 at 9:28 AM, Steve Hoersting <hoersting at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Hear! Hear!
>>
>> What can one add? Except to say these statements cannot be said often
>> enough.
>>
>> Thank you, Eric O'Keefe. Western Civilization owes you a debt of
>> gratitude.
>>
>> Steve
>>  On Jul 16, 2015 9:23 AM, "David Keating" <dkeating at campaignfreedom.org>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> ¶133 Our lengthy discussion of these three cases can be distilled into a
>>> few simple, but important, points.  It is utterly clear that the special
>>> prosecutor has employed theories of law that do not exist in order to
>>> investigate citizens who were wholly innocent of any wrongdoing.   In other
>>> words, the special prosecutor was the instigator of a "perfect storm" of
>>> wrongs that was visited upon the innocent Unnamed Movants and those who
>>> dared to associate with them.  It is fortunate, indeed, for every other
>>> citizen of this great State who is interested in the protection of
>>> fundamental liberties that the special prosecutor chose as his targets
>>> innocent citizens who had both the will and the means to fight the
>>> unlimited resources of an unjust prosecution.  Further, these brave
>>> individuals played a crucial role in presenting this court with an
>>> opportunity to re-endorse its commitment to upholding the fundamental right
>>> of each and every citizen to engage in lawful political activity and to do
>>> so free from the fear of the tyrannical retribution of arbitrary or
>>> capricious governmental prosecution.  Let one point be clear: our
>>> conclusion today ends this unconstitutional John Doe investigation.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> David
>>>
>>> _________________________________________________
>>>
>>> David Keating | President | Center for Competitive Politics
>>>
>>> 124 S. West Street, Suite 201 | Alexandria, VA 22314
>>>
>>> 703-894-6799 (direct) | 703-894-6800 | 703-894-6811 Fax
>>>
>>> www.campaignfreedom.org
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *From:* law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu [mailto:
>>> law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu] *On Behalf Of *David
>>> Keating
>>> *Sent:* Thursday, July 16, 2015 9:03 AM
>>> *To:* law-election at UCI.edu
>>> *Subject:* [EL] Wisconsin John Doe ruling
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ¶11  To be clear, this conclusion ends the John Doe investigation
>>> because the special prosecutor's legal theory is unsupported in either
>>> reason or law.  Consequently, the investigation is closed.  Consistent with
>>> our decision and the order entered by Reserve Judge Peterson, we order that
>>> the special prosecutor and the district attorneys involved in this
>>> investigation must cease all activities related to the investigation,
>>> return all property seized in the investigation from any individual or
>>> organization, and permanently destroy all copies of information and other
>>> materials obtained through the investigation.  All Unnamed Movants are
>>> relieved of any duty to cooperate further with the investigation.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> http://wicourts.gov/sc/opinion/DisplayDocument.html?content=html&seqNo=144525
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Our statement:
>>>
>>>
>>> http://www.campaignfreedom.org/2015/07/16/ccp-reaction-to-john-doe-decision/
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> "The First Amendment rights of the John Doe victims were trampled on for
>>> far too long, and while this decision ends a sorry chapter, great damage
>>> was done," said Brad Smith, CCP Chairman. "For three years, American
>>> citizens were gagged, intimidated and forced to pay a heavy price for
>>> simply speaking out about government. Their speech was suppressed, their
>>> lives were disrupted, their reputations were damaged and bank accounts
>>> squeezed by legal bills in order to defend their rights in court. The
>>> Wisconsin Legislature and legislatures throughout the country should pass
>>> reforms to ensure this can never happen to anyone else. This investigation
>>> illustrates how campaign finance laws are used to harass political
>>> opponents and it shows the need for the Courts to uphold robust First
>>> Amendment rights and develop clear, bright line rules for Constitutionally
>>> protected political activity, to defend American citizens against such
>>> abuses."
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> David
>>>
>>> _________________________________________________
>>>
>>> David Keating | President | Center for Competitive Politics
>>>
>>> 124 S. West Street, Suite 201 | Alexandria, VA 22314
>>>
>>> 703-894-6799 (direct) | 703-894-6800 | 703-894-6811 Fax
>>>
>>> www.campaignfreedom.org
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Law-election mailing list
>>> Law-election at department-lists.uci.edu
>>> http://department-lists.uci.edu/mailman/listinfo/law-election
>>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>
>
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