The Commission shall not enforce 52 U.S.C. § 30118, as well as any implementing regulations, against Plaintiffs with regard to the monetary contributions described in Plaintiffs' complaint made by MCFL corporations to delegates to a national nominating convention. See Verified Compl. (Doc. No. 1) TlH 31, 53; FEC v. Massachusetts Citizens for Life, Inc., 479 U.S. 238, 263-64 (1986).
Two delegates to the Republican National Convention settled a lawsuit on Friday against the Federal Election Commission (FEC), Two Unnamed Plaintiffs v. FEC. These delegates were represented by attorneys from the Pillar of Law Institute, which was also a plaintiff in the case. The delegates and Pillar brought suit in Wyoming federal court due to a ban against giving any assistance to delegates by corporations, even non-profits. “Our win ensures that convention delegates will have access to similar sources of funding as party operatives. It also allows non-profits to donate free legal services and educational materials to delegates,” said Benjamin Barr, lead counsel in the case. “Our settlement goes further than that, recognizing that corporate non-profits may provide delegates with travel stipends and other financial assistance, breaking new ground in federal campaign finance law.”
Convention Delegates Win Settlement in Free Speech Lawsuit Against Federal Election Commission - Free Speech Under Attack - Pillar of Law Institute
The FEC and the Institute entered into a settlement that allows for these contributions by qualified nonprofits, so-called MCFL corporations, formed for political purpose and not funded with corporate or with labor money. Good for all concerned. Weeding out of the law inconsistencies and pointless restrictions is helpful in any number of respects. It frees political actors and their allies to collaborate on useful activities, removes from the rulebook limits that the FEC should not have to enforce (or leave unenforced), and contributes to the too-often depleted reservoir of respect for the regulatory system.
