No. 19-234

Libertarian National Committee, Inc. v. Federal Election Commission

Lower Court: District of Columbia
Docketed: 2019-08-22
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Amici (3) Experienced Counsel
Tags: campaign-finance content-based-restrictions deceased-donor federal-election-commission first-amendment first-amendment-rights free-speech political-contributions political-parties testamentary-bequest testamentary-bequests
Key Terms:
FirstAmendment JusticiabilityDoctri
Latest Conference: 2019-11-22
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether limiting the size of a deceased donor's uncoordinated testamentary bequest to a political party violates the party's First Amendment right to free speech

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

QUESTIONS PRESENTED 1. Inthe asserted interest of preventing quid pro quo corruption, the Federal Election Commission limits the amount of money that a political party may receive each year from a deceased donor. Over the course of his life, Joseph Shaber made various small donations to the Libertarian Party. He was unknown to party officials and candidates. Upon his death, the party learned that Shaber had unconditionally left it $235,575.20. Does limiting the size of Joseph Shaber’s uncoordinated testamentary bequest to the party violate the party’s First Amendment right to free speech? 2. In 2014, Congress imposed content-based spending restrictions on contributions to political parties. A national political party committee may now spend only 10% of an individual’s maximum annual contribution on unrestricted speech. Of an individual’s maximum annual contribution, 30% must be spent on presidential nominating conventions, 30% on election contests and other legal proceedings, and 30% on party headquarters buildings. 52 U.S.C. §§ 30116(a)(1)(B), (a)(9), 30125(a)(1). Money being fungible, these restrictions negligibly impact, if at all, party committees that would otherwise spend money from general funds on such speech. Party committees that cannot or do not prioritize spending purposes can raise and spend as little as 10% of each donor’s otherwise-allowable contribution. ii QUESTIONS PRESENTED — Continued Do 52 US.C. §§ 30116(a)(1)(B), (a)(9) and 30125(a)(1) violate the First Amendment right of free speech by conditioning the size of contributions to a political party on the content of the party’s speech? iii RULE 29.6 DISCLOSURE STATEMENT No parent or publicly owned corporation owns 10% or more of the stock in Libertarian National Committee, Inc.

Docket Entries

2019-11-25
Petition DENIED. Justice Kavanaugh took no part in the consideration or decision of this petition.
2019-11-06
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 11/22/2019.
2019-11-05
Reply of petitioner Libertarian National Committee, Inc. filed. (Distributed)
2019-10-23
Brief of respondent Federal Election Commission in opposition filed.
2019-09-23
Brief amicus curiae of Goldwater Institute filed.
2019-09-23
Brief amicus curiae of Institute for Free Speech filed.
2019-09-20
Brief amicus curiae of Cato Institute filed.
2019-09-19
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including October 23, 2019.
2019-09-18
Motion to extend the time to file a response from September 23, 2019 to October 23, 2019, submitted to The Clerk.
2019-08-19
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due September 23, 2019)

Attorneys

Cato Institute
Ilya ShapiroCato Institute, Amicus
Ilya ShapiroCato Institute, Amicus
Federal Election Commission
Noel J. FranciscoSolicitor General, Respondent
Noel J. FranciscoSolicitor General, Respondent
Goldwater Institute
Jacob H. HuebertGoldwater institute, Amicus
Jacob H. HuebertGoldwater institute, Amicus
Institute for Free Speech
Allen Joseph DickersonInstitute for Free Speech, Amicus
Allen Joseph DickersonInstitute for Free Speech, Amicus
Libertarian National Committee, Inc.
Alan GuraGura PLLC, Petitioner
Alan GuraGura PLLC, Petitioner