David Mitrani was quoted in an article by the Center for Public Integrity today about today’s decision in McCutcheon v. FEC. The Court cited the First Amendment to strike down the aggregate limit that individuals could give to candidates and parties. Mr. Mitrani told the CPI that the decision doesn’t just affect federal contributions, but state law as well. Twelve different states plus the District of Columbia impose some form of aggregate limit on contributions. Since the Supreme Court struck down the federal aggregate limit, similar limits at the state level “are unlikely to survive under the logic of the McCutcheon opinion.”
On Saturday, Time Magazine published a story on the growth of Ready for Hillary, a pro-Hillary Clinton Super PAC. The article describes how the Super PAC has geared up over the past few months so that if Ms. Clinton indeed decides to run for President, it will be ready to hit the ground running on day 1. Jim Lamb was named as one of several key cogs in the article that have helped the Super PAC build out a massive grassroots operation, making Ready for Hillary the premiere Super PAC of the 2016 Presidential race.
In addition, Politico’s Mike Allen featured the article as the lead story in this morning’s Politico Playbook. The excerpted section of the article in Playbook not only highlighted Ready for Hillary’s growth, but also included Mr. Lamb’s citation as a key cog in the operation.
To read the full article, which promises to be the first of several on the growth of Ready for Hillary, click here.
Joseph Sandler and Amanda La Forge successfully defended the Friends of Anthony Brown gubernatorial campaign in a frivolous lawsuit in Anne Arundel Circuit Court. At issue was fundraising restrictions that Brown’s opponent sought to place on his ticket. In Maryland, elected state officials and state legislators cannot raise campaign funds during the 90-day legislative session. Thus, as Lieutenant Governor, Anthony Brown is prohibited from fundraising during this time. In addition, Brown’s primary opponents Attorney General Douglas Gansler and Delegate Jolene Ivey are also prohibited from fundraising. However his choice for Lieutenant Governor, Howard County Executive Ken Ulman, is unburdened by these restrictions.
The Gansler campaign brought a frivolous suit against Mr. Brown and Mr. Ulman to try to prevent Mr. Ulman from fundraising during the legislative session. However, Joe Sandler and Amanda La Forge, counsel to Friends of Anthony Brown, successfully fought off the lawsuit. Not only did the Judge William C. Mulford II dismiss the lawsuit, he also rejected a request from the Gansler campaign for sanctions against the Brown campaign.
After the ruling, Mr. Sandler told the Baltimore Sun that the lawsuit was a “‘political stunt’ meant to ’embarrass and harass’ Brown and Ulman.” The Baltimore Sun also noted that the lawsuit was brought only against the Brown/Ulman ticket, and not against two Republican tickets where one or more of the candidates are similarly unburdened by the fundraising ban.
On Sunday, Politico reported on the dire financial straits many state parties are facing as donors are increasingly giving more to Super PACs than state parties. Using data provided by Sandler, Reiff, Young & Lamb, Politico crunched state party campaign finance data from 2000 through 2013, and found a near universal decline in fundraising numbers:
On both sides of the ledger, state parties have shown signs of financial strain. For in-state elections, state parties raised an average of $5.4 million in 2000. By 2008, that number had dropped to $4.1 million. By 2012, it was $2.8 million.
On the federal side, just four state parties out of 100 — all Republican — had more than $1 million of federal funds in the bank at the end of 2013.
Politico cited an increasingly competitive fundraising environment and a number of federal rules that restrict how state parties can raise and spend money. In response, state party leaders have called on Congress to loosen such restrictions, and allow them to remain politically viable.
Jim Lamb’s successful track record in fighting false and misleading Super PACs was highlighted in an article in Campaigns andElections today. The article discussed ways to fight back against Super PAC television ads, which are afforded much fewer first amendment protections than candidate-sponsored ads. The article highlights Mr. Lamb’s success in fighting back when the facts are outright wrong or false. Backed up with research, Mr. Lamb breaks down each claim made by the Super PAC with a news-sourced rebuttal, imploring the station to protect the public from “false, misleading, and deceptive advertising.”
David Mitrani was quoted today in a story in the Huffington Post about the growth of super PACs and their strong fundraising numbers in a non-Presidential year. Mr. Mitrani pointed to super PACs’ ability to spend money in many state races, and thus streamlining fundraising operations as one reason why they have become so popular over the past few years.
He told the Huffington Post “Now that we have super PACs, federal funds are easier to raise and it’s a more centralized way for people to structure their organization.”
Neil Reiff has written a new article for Campaigns and Elections magazine this morning, offering a preview of several campaign finance issues likely to come to the forefront in 2014. With 2014 midterms right around the corner, Mr. Reiff identifies five issues likely to make news in the new year:
Super PACs expanding their influence into state and local races
States raising contribution limits
The McCutcheon v. FEC Supreme Court case and its impacts on federal and state aggregate contribution limits
A continued push for more disclosure from 501(c)(4) groups, especially as it regards to political spending by such groups
Potential for a new push from Congress to reform campaign finance laws, especially Super PAC
Joseph Sandler, Neil Reiff, and Jim Lamb were once again named by Washingtonian Magazine as three of the top attorneys in Washington, DC. They were recognized for their outstanding work in the field of Campaign and Election Law. Sandler, Reiff, Young & Lamb is one of only three firms to have three attorneys on the biennial list. This also marks the third consecutive biennial cycle that Mr. Sandler, Mr. Reiff, and Mr. Lamb were named by WashingtonianMagazine.
James Lamb was cited in an article in the Washington Postabout the growth of Ready for Hillary, a Super PAC urging former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to run for President in 2016. Mr. Lamb is cited among a number of former Clinton advisers who are currently advising the Super PAC, which according to an adviser of a rival Super PAC gives “the official ‘Good Housekeeping’ seal of approval for all things Hillary.”
MITRANI JOINS SANDER REIFF AS ASSOCIATE: David Mitrani has joined Sandler, Reiff, Young & Lamb as an associate after successfully passing the bar exam. He’ll work mostly on election law, nonprofit law and lobbying compliance issues for political committees, state parties, labor unions, corporations and other groups on navigating federal and state campaign finance laws. He’s also worked for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in communications, as well in the Democratic National Committee’s research shop.
Joseph Sandler, Neil Reiff, and Jim Lamb were once again named by Washingtonian Magazine as three of the top attorneys in Washington, DC. They were recognized for their outstanding work in the field of Campaign and Election Law. Sandler, Reiff, Young & Lamb is one of only three firms to have three attorneys on the biennial list. This also marks the third consecutive biennial cycle that Mr. Sandler, Mr. Reiff, and Mr. Lamb were named by Washingtonian Magazine.