The U.S. Supreme Court returns from its summer recess on September 30, when it holds a conference to decide whether to hear certain cases. Probably the Court will then announce on October 1 whether it is hearing any particular cases, and on October 7 it will release further orders from the September 30 conference and also start its fall argument schedule.

One of the cases on the September 30 conference is Corsi v Ohio Election Commission, 12-1442. The plaintiff, Edmund Corsi, has a blog about local politics in Geauga County, Ohio. In 2010 the Ohio Election Commission heard a complaint against him, that he had not registered as a PAC. To register as a PAC requires designation of a treasurer and periodic campaign finance reports. The Commission believed Corsi should become a PAC because his web page sometimes commented on whether his readers should vote for or against particular candidates. The Commission also believed Corsi’s activity was not merely the activity of an individual, because he sometimes held meetings in which participants discussed local politics.

The Ohio State Appeals Court agreed with the Ohio Election Commission that Corsi must register as a PAC. The Ohio Supreme Court refused to hear Corsi’s appeal. Now he is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear his case. Here is his cert petition. Corsi is a conservative who frequently criticizes local Republican office-holders. Here is Corsi’s webpage, Geauga Constitutional Council.