On October 12, the Federal Election Commission filed this brief in Libertarian Party National Committee v FEC, 18-5227. This is the case on whether it is constitutional to forbid a party from receiving a bequest, in one lump sum, after the deceased person’s estate is ready for distribution. The FEC says allowing parties to receive such bequests, even from individuals who had never told the party about the bequest, would cause bribery. The FEC also says the Libertarian National Committee lacks standing. Also the FEC attacks the Libertarian Party for having been one of the original plaintiffs in Buckley v Valeo, back in 1974, when Congress first set up strict controls on campaign spending.

On October 8, the Interamerican Commission on Human Rights heard the case brought by Puerto Rico against United States policy that does not allow U.S. citizens living in Puerto Rico to vote for federal office. One can watch the hearing at this link. The interesting part starts at the one hour, three minute mark, when representatives of the U.S. government defend current policy.

On October 11, a New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan upheld the very early deadline for voters to register into a party, if they wish to vote in its primary. The deadline to vote join a party, so as to be able to vote in its 2019 primary, was October 12, 2018. New York state has partisan elections every calendar year. Moody v New York State Board of Elections. No other state has such an early deadline. Read the opinion here.