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Thursday, June 18, 2009

"Reformers Fear Quick Vote on Sullivan Could Discourage Other Changes at FEC" (Rick Hasen Post)

BNA has a must-read (or at least must-read if you have a paid subscription) report. "Despite these complaints [about deadlock at the FEC, officials and outside observers indicate privately that McGahn and Walther apparently continue to benefit from strong support on the part of key congressional leaders, including Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). There appears to be little support on Capitol Hill for replacing either or both until sometime in 2010, at the earliest...Another veteran reformer, Craig Holman of the watchdog group Public Citizen, said he was surprised in May when Obama nominated Sullivan to replace Weintraub but mentioned nothing about replacement of other FEC commissioners, including McGahn. Holman noted that Weintraub, the one commissioner now slated for replacement, has been among the most vocal at the FEC in criticizing the Republican commissioners for voting to drop enforcement cases."

It confirms my fears that there's nothing coming out of the Obama administration on FEC reform in the near term, and that the pattern of 3-3 splits along party lines (primarily for ideological, not narrow party, reasons) will continue. At worst, soon-to-be Commissioner Sullivan will vote with the three Republicans in rulemakings and on AOs to further weaken enforcement at the FEC. If trends continue, expect to see much less regulation, and much less enforcement of regulation, as we enter the 2010 and 2012 election.

I will have more later today on the newest schism at the FEC.

Posted by Rick Hasen at 07:51 AM

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