Bill Moyers Journal Hosts Attorneys on Both Sides in Citizens United v FEC Case

Posted on by September 3, 2009
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Bill Moyers Journal, a weekly interview show on Public TV, hosts two attorneys on the September 4, Friday evening broadcast. They are Trevor Potter and Floyd Abrams. Potter is a former FEC Commissioner who has been active in support of the McCain-Feingold law and other restrictions on campaign spending. Abrams is with the ACLU and has been an active opponent of such restrictions. They will discuss the upcoming U.S. Supreme Court hearing in Citizens United v FEC, set for September 9, involving the film, “Hillary: the Movie.” Thanks to ElectionLawBlog for this news.

West Virginia Ponders Public Financing for Judicial Candidates

Posted on by September 3, 2009
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On August 28, the West Virginia Independent Commission on Judicial Reform held a conference on possibly recommending public funding for judicial candidates in West Virginia. See this story in the September 2 Record, a legal newspaper in West Virginia. The Commission heard from North Carolina public officials. North Carolina elects its judges on a non-partisan basis and has a method for judicial candidates to file for public funding.

Idaho Case on Out-of-State Circulators Moves Ahead

Posted on by September 3, 2009
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Briefs are due on September 8 in Daien v Ysursa, the case in U.S. District Court that challenges Idaho’s ban on out-of-state circulators for independent presidential candidates. The plaintiff, Donald Daien, wants to be a volunteer petitioner in many states for candidates who believe in the same ideas that Ralph Nader supports. Daien was a volunteer petitioner for Nader in the past in several states.

Tennessee Ballot Access Case Moves Ahead

Posted on by September 3, 2009
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On September 2, the U.S. District Court hearing Libertarian Party of Tennessee v Thompson issued a scheduling order. Discovery closes on November 30, and then final briefs will be filed. This case challenges the procedures for putting new or previously unqualified on the Tennesssee ballot. No group has used those procedures since 1968. They require almost 50,000 signatures, due 4 months before the primary, and the petition must say that all the signers are party members. This case was filed in early 2008.