FEC Battle Timeline
By Ken St. Onge
March 27, 2002 – President Bush signs the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (familiarly called the McCain-Feingold bill after its principal Senate sponsors), aimed at curbing the influence of “soft money” – unregulated spending by corporations, labor unions and wealthy individuals – in federal elections.
Oct. 8, 2002 – Reps. Marty Meehan (D-Mass.) and Christopher Shays (R-Conn.), the House sponsors of bill, file a lawsuit in U.S. District Court accusing the Federal Election Commission of failing to properly implement the new law.
July 10, 2003 – Shays introduces a new bill, co-sponsored by Meehan, called the Federal Election Administration Act of 2003, which sought to replace the commission with a new agency called the Federal Election Administration. That bill is currently before the House Administration Committee.
Dec. 10, 2003 – Supreme Court, in McConnell v FEC, upholds most provisions of the 2002 law, including bans on soft money and prohibitions on advertisements for or against specific candidates 60 days before an election.
Aug. 5, 2004 – Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, a nonprofit tax-exempt group, runs television ads alleging that Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry misrepresented his Vietnam War record. The ad sparks a controversy when it is revealed that Republican donors helped finance the group.
Sept. 14, 2004– Meehan and Shays file a second lawsuit, alleging FEC negligence in failing to regulate organizations such as the Swift Boat Veterans, which are called 527s after the tax code section that grants them tax-exempt status.
Sept. 20, 2004 – U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly rules for Meehan and Shays in their first lawsuit, over-turning 15 FEC regulations adopted to implement the 2002 law.
Sept. 22, 2004 –Meehan and Shays and Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) introduce the 527 Reform Act aimed at curbing 527 groups’ spending.
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