On July 20, the Second Circuit refused to enjoin a New York campaign finance law that lets individuals give more donations to a qualified party than an unqualified party. Upstate Jobs Party v Kosinski, 18-1586. The three judges were Reena Raggi, Peter W. Hall, and Debra Ann Livingston, all Bush Jr. appointees.

The six-page order makes it clear that the panel thinks the lawsuit has merit, and that there are problems with the New York law. But they said there would be no useful purpose in an injunction, partly because the Upstate Jobs Party doesn’t have any candidates this year for statewide office.

The Albuquerque Journal has op-ed by me, setting forth why the Libertarian Party does not need to have a gubernatorial nominee this year in New Mexico in order to retain its qualified major party status.

On July 16, Leonard Peltier won a procedural ruling in his lawsuit against prison authorities, who sponsored an art exhibit and initially included his work, but then removed it because of his perceived beliefs. Peltier was the Peace & Freedom Party presidential nominee in 2004. Here is the 18-page ruling in Peltier v Sacks, w.d. Washington, 3:17cv-5209. Thanks to the Institute for Free Speech for this news.

The ruling is by U.S. District Court Judge Ronald Leighton, a Bush Jr. appointee.