Campaign Finance in U.S. History, Part 2
Stuff You Missed in History Class
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The History of the Federal Election Commission
In 1976, the Supreme Court struck down limits on campaign spending. The court ruled that those restrictions reduced quantity of expression by restricting number of issues discussed and size of audience reached. In 1986, the FEC filed a case in which Massachusetts Citizens for Life Incorporated was allowed to promote pro-life candidates using its general treasury. But Michigan Chamber of Commerce claimed they were also a non-profit and should be allowed to donate funds for candidate ads.
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The second part of our campaign finance history starts with both a scandal and reform linked to Theodore Roosevelt, and carries through to more recent Supreme Court rulings.
Research:
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- Blakemore, Erin. “Elections in Colonial America Were Huge, Booze-Fueled Parties.” History.com. Nov. 25, 2019. https://www.history.com/news/colonial-america-election-day-parties
- R. Brunson, “Swartwout, Samuel,” Texas State Historical Association. Handbook of Texas Online. https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/swartwout-samuel.
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- “Appendix 4 -- The Federal Election Campaign Laws:A Short History.” FEC. https://transition.fec.gov/info/appfour.htm#anchor616480
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- Grizzard, Frank E. “George Washington: A Biographical Companion.” ABC-CLIO 2022.
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- Lau, Tim. “Citizens United Explained.” Brennan Center for Justice. Dec. 12, 2019. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/citizens-united-explained
- “McConnell v. FEC.” Federal Election Commission United States of America. https://www.fec.gov/legal-resources/court-cases/mcconnell-v-fec/
- “Mark Hanna and the 1896 Election.” United States Senate. https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/Hanna_1896Election.htm#:~:text=At%20age%2015%20he%20moved,coal%2C%20iron%2C%20and%20steel.
- “Money-in-politics Timeline.” Open Secrets. https://www.opensecrets.org/resources/learn/timeline
- “Mr. Crittenden’s Speech.” Hartfor Courant. Feb. 14, 1839. https://www.newspapers.com/image/369520711/?terms=%22crittenden%22&match=1
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- “Louisville.” The Courier-Journal. Feb. 4, 1837. https://www.newspapers.com/image/118738402/?terms=%22bill%20to%20secure%20the%20freedom%20of%20elections%22&match=1
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- “Naval Appropriation Bill.” The Buffalo Commercial. April 14, 1866. https://www.newspapers.com/image/282153733/?terms=%22Naval%20Appropriations%20Bill%22%20&match=1
- "NEWBERRY, Truman Handy." Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/N000062
- “Pendleton Act (1883).” National Archives. https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/pendleton-act#:~:text=The%20Pendleton%20Act%20provided%20that,were%20covered%20by%20the%20law.
- Perlstein, Rick. "Watergate scandal". Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Jun. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/event/Watergate-Scandal
- Roosevelt, Franklin D. “Veto of the Smith-Connally Bill.” June 25, 1943. https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/veto-the-smith-connally-bill
- Roosevelt, Theodore. “December 5, 1905: Fifth Annual Message.” UVA – Miller Center. https://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/december-5-1905-fifth-annual-message
- Scott, Kyle, and Matthew A. Kern. “Buckley v. Valeo (1976).” The First Amendment Encyclopedia. 2009. https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/126/buckley-v-valeo
- “The Election Case of Truman H. Newberry of Michigan (1922).” United States Senate. https://www.senate.gov/about/origins-foundations/electing-appointing-senators/contested-senate-elections/102Ford_Newberry.htm
- “Naval Appropriation Bill.” The Philadelphia Inquirer. April 14, 1866. https://www.newspapers.com/image/168100996/?terms=%22Naval%20Appropriations%20Bill%22%20&match=1
- Terry, Stephen C. “Major Election Reform Legislation Quietly Approved by Senate.” The Times Argus. March 24, 1976. https://www.newspapers.com/image/657291645/?terms=buckley%20valeo&match=1
- “Tursts for Roosevelt.” Freeport Bulletin. Oct. 20, 1904. https://www.newspapers.com/image/762693183/?terms=insurance%20roosevelt&match=1
- Thompson, Mary V. “Beer.” George Washington’s Mount Vernon. https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/beer/#note3
- United States. “Defalcations. Reports of majority and minority ... Report of the Committee of Investigation on the subject of the defalcations of Samuel Swartwout and others : ... also the report of the minority of the Committee.” Thomas Allen. 1839. Accessed online: https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/007704602
- United States Senate. “Presidential Election Campaign Fund of 1966.” https://www.finance.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/SPrt301.pdf
- Victor, Jennifer Nicoll, Phd. “History of Financing of Federal Campaigns in the US.” Wondrium Daily. July 25, 2021. https://www.wondriumdaily.com/history-of-financing-of-federal-campaigns-in-the-us/
- Woodward, Bob and Brian Duffy. “Chinese Embassy Role in Contributions Probed.” Washington Post. Feb. 13, 1997. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/campfin/stories/china1.htm
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