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      Hooker v. All Campaign Contributors

Hooker v. All Campaign Contributors 
 Summary
 Summary

  
  
    Hooker v. All campaign contributorsOn June 7, 2000, John Jay Hooker filed a lawsuit broadly challenging the constitutionality of all campaign contributions. Mr. Hooker alleged that campaign contributions are both a "backdoor property qualification" for voting rights and bribes of public officials and are, thus, illegal.On October 18, 2000, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, Nashville Division, granted the defendants' request to dismiss this case. The court found that:The Presidential Election Campaign Fund Act and the Matching Payment Act, 26 U.S.C. §9001-9043, are constitutional under Buckley v. Valeo;The plaintiff lacked standing to challenge Congress's authority to regulate federal elections;The plaintiff's challenges to political contributions in federal elections failed to state a claim for relief; andThe plaintiff's claims challenging federal election statutes are precluded by the plaintiff's prior lawsuits.This case was subsequently argued as Hooker v. Sundquist.Hooker v. SundquistOn November 9, 2000, Mr. Hooker appealed this case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.On September 25, 2001, the appeals court affirmed the district court's decision dismissing this case. The court of appeals agreed with the district court that:John Jay Hooker was barred from challenging the constitutionality of the Presidential Election Campaign Fund Act and the Presidential Primary Matching Payment Account Act in this case because he had unsuccessfully challenged those statutes in previous litigation; andMr. Hooker lacked standing to bring this case because he had not alleged that he himself had suffered a concrete, particularized injury.Source:   FEC Record — December 2001; April 2001; January 2001; August 2000


This information is not intended to replace the law or to change its meaning, nor does this information create or confer any rights for or on any person or bind the Federal Election Commission or the public. The reader is encouraged also to consult the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (52 U.S.C. 30101 et seq.), Commission regulations (Title 11 of the Code of Federal Regulations), Commission advisory opinions and applicable court decisions.


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