by Pillar of Law | Sep 13, 2017 | Political Speech
WASHINGTON, DC – Following President Trump’s nomination of James “Trey” Trainor III to serve as commissioner at the Federal Election Commission (FEC), Pillar of Law Institute President Benjamin Barr released the following statement: “Trey Trainor is an excellent...
by Pillar of Law | Aug 3, 2017 | Political Speech
ANNAPOLIS, MD – A jury reached verdicts of not guilty on both counts in the trial of Dennis Fusaro and Stephen Waters today in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court, ending a prosecution based on automatic phone calls—or “robocalls”—that were made before the 2014...
by Stephen Klein | Jul 11, 2017 | Uncategorized
The media, along with the campaign finance regulation community, has worked itself up into quite a frenzy with the revelation that Donald Trump, Jr. had a meeting with a Russian in June, 2016. Of course, they insist, there is more to it, and that Trump may have...
by Pillar of Law | May 30, 2017 | Political Speech
CHICAGO, IL – The Illinois Attorney General voluntarily dismissed appeal in the case Ball v. Madigan today, declining to pursue the case at the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. The appeal followed a summary judgment ruling from U.S. District...
by Pillar of Law | May 16, 2017 | Political Speech
ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Pillar of Law Institute attorneys Benjamin Barr and Stephen Klein joined a team of attorneys to defend Dennis Fusaro and Stephen Waters against charges from the Maryland State Prosecutor that they produced an illegal “robocall,” an automatic phone...
by Stephen Klein | May 15, 2017 | Political Speech
I have written an article for the recent edition of the Washburn Law Journal, entitled “‘“The Centre Cannot Hold’”: Campaign Finance Disclosure Beyond 2016.” I lay out the current legal landscape surrounding campaign finance disclosure, with criticism of the campaign...
by Pillar of Law | Mar 24, 2017 | Political Speech
CHICAGO, IL – The Pillar of Law Institute won summary judgment today in the case Ball v. Madigan, striking down an Illinois state law that prohibits medical marijuana cultivation centers and dispensaries from making campaign contributions. Judge John Z. Lee of the...
by Pillar of Law | Mar 18, 2017 | Political Speech
DENVER, CO. – Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper signed House Bill 1014 yesterday, amending the state’s election law to allow voters to take and share photographs of their own marked ballots, an activity known as taking a “ballot selfie.” The bill followed a...
by Stephen Klein | Mar 15, 2017 | Political Speech
A bill that passed the Colorado legislature two weeks ago would make displaying one’s own marked ballot legal, and also allow for the display of photographs of them, or “ballot selfies.” As the bill awaits signature from Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, some pundits...
by Stephen Klein | Mar 1, 2017 | Political Speech
This afternoon, in a speech at the Center for American Progress, Commissioner Ann Ravel, formerly of the Federal Election Commission (as of yesterday), gave her first speech as a private citizen since leaving the agency. Promising she will continue to speak out in...
