Appeals Court, Looking At New Supreme Court Decision, Doubts Validity Of More Campaign Rules

[Purveyor]

Source: Associated Press

In the first court hearing since the Supreme Court ruling on campaign finance regulations, a federal appeals court seemed poised Wednesday to strike down additional limits on money in politics.

The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia gave every indication it would make it easier for independent advocacy groups to raise money for use in campaigns for president and Congress.

Nonprofit groups on the left and right have brought lawsuits against limits on the amount of money they can collect from donors for political ads and other campaign spending.

Several judges said the outcome was compelled by the reasoning in the high court's decision last week freeing corporations to spend unlimited amounts to support or oppose candidates in federal elections.

The first words out of Chief Judge David Sentelle's mouth set the tone for the hourlong hearing.

"What can you add to what Justice Kennedy said?" Sentelle said, referring to Justice Anthony Kennedy's majority opinion in the case of Citizens United v. FEC.

Read more: http://www.newser.com/article/d9dg7kb80/appeals-court-looking-at-new-supreme-court-decision-doubts-validity-of-more-campaign-rules.html

[Vinnie From Indy]

1. David Sentelle is perhaps one of the most dishonest men to ever hold a federal judgeship

It appears the extremist right-wing is about wage a sustained, all-out war on democracy in America.

[rasputin1952]

2. They already have...

to include calling for armed insurrection.

Even treason isn't off limits to these knuckledraggers; they would hold the nation hostage at gunpoint to maintain their miserable, pathetic lives. This is Domestic Terrorism, and should be treated as such.


From Wikipedia:

Federal judicial service

On February 2, 1987, Reagan nominated Sentelle to a position on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to replace Antonin Scalia. Sentelle was confirmed by the United States Senate in an 87-0 vote on September 9, 1987.

On the D.C. Circuit, Sentelle voted to overturn the convictions of Oliver North and John Poindexter, along with Judge Laurence Silberman. He served on the Special Division of the Court which appointed Kenneth Starr under the renewed Independent Counsel statute, replacing Robert B. Fiske, who had been appointed by Attorney General Janet Reno special prosecutor to investigate the allegations against President Bill Clinton with respect to the Whitewater affair.

In 2007, in Boumediene v. Bush, 375 U.S. App. D.C. 48, Judge Sentelle concurred with Judge Arthur Raymond Randolph, relying on Johnson v. Eisentrager, to uphold the Military Commissions Act of 2006's suspension of habeas corpus for enemy combatants as constitutional. Judge Judith Ann Wilson Rogers dissented.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_B._Sentelle

[madokie]

3. That is exactly how I see it too

these mo'fo's are after blood. Could you imagine where we'd be today if not for clinton winning the presidency in '92. We'd never have gotten to a President Obama. Most of those responsible for the shit today got their start with the nixon crew and really found their footing with st ronnie.

[pscot]

5. Jesse Helms will never be dead

as long as this asshole is still alive.

[SlingBlade]

4. "What can you add to what Justice Kennedy said?".....

How about Fascist Bullshit ?

[groundloop]

6. It's going to be nearly impossible for Congress to pass any campaign finance regulation

that will hold up to Supreme Court scrutiny. This stuff is barely noticed in the media, but I fear it's going to change democracy in our country for years to come.

We're screwed. I may as well become a rich white guy and join the GOP.

[blueworld]

7. So why don't we form a Dem Corporation of America & smoke their asses? n/t

[Johnnyheadstone]

8. RE: So why dont we form a Dem Corp....

Great Idea!! Maybe something like this:

Its time to turn the tables. In response to the recent Supreme Court Ruling setting the precedent that Corporations in the United States are given the same constitutional rights as people are I propose the following:

To consolidate the power of our citizenry against this threat to our democracy we establish a national “People's Corporation” Any citizen that wants to invest in the company is allowed to do so via the purchase of private stock, the stock prices are fixed and the purchaser understands that the return on their investment is not monetary, rather it is the representation by the collective power of the “PC”

The platform supported by the “PC” will be plainly stated and understood, the “PC” will support candidates who favor unionization and worker protections, single payer national healthcare, a reduction in military and defense spending, public financing of all elections, increased investments in education including the establishment of a national network of free universities and trade schools, and a serious and dedicated stance on the environment. The “PC” will be used to not only raise money to influence elections, but also to continue the re-investment into the nation. All products produced and sold by the “PC” will be made in the US by union employees. All services provided by the “PC” will be provided by locally employed union employees.

They want to change the rules because they think we are powerless to stop them, they are wrong, we simply need to adapt to beat them at their own game.

[blueworld]

9. great idea! Rock on. But whodathunk it would come to this? Sigh. n/t