On March 26, two important campaign finance decisions were handed down by federal courts in Washington, D.C.

The U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit, ruled that committees which wish to make independent expenditures, commenting on candidates for federal office, are free to raise as much money as they wish from individuals. SpeechNow.Org v Federal Election Commission, 08-5223. The decision is from the entire panel of full-time judges on the D.C. circuit. The vote was 9-0. The decision strikes down federal laws that limit political committees to receiving no more than $5,000 from any one individual in any year. However, the decision is limited to groups that make independent expenditures. “Independent expenditures” means that the group writes and publicizes its own opinions, and does not coordinate with any particular candidate.

The decision is 21 pages. The decision upholds federal laws that require such groups to register as a political committee, set up a separate bank account for its independent expenditures about candidates, and disclose its contributors and expenditures.

The other decision of March 26 is Republican National Committee v FEC, U.S. District Court, D.C., 08-1953. It is 20 pages long. It upholds federal campaign laws that prevent anyone from giving more than a specified amount of money to political parties. The decision acknowledges that political parties are now the only groups that cannot receive unlimited amounts of contributions from individuals, for the purpose of making independent expenditures. But the judges say that the U.S. Supreme Court already upheld limits on donations to political parties in 2003, in McConnell v FEC, and that if the parties want relief, only the U.S. Supreme Court can give them any relief. The three judges in this case are Brett Kavanaugh, Richard Leon, and Rosemary Collyer, all three appointees of President George Bush, Jr.