United States District Court

District of Columbia

Republican National Committee et al.,

Plaintiffs,

v.

Federal Election Commission,

Defendant.

Case No. 08-1953 (BMK, RJL, RMC)

 THREE-JUDGE COURT

Plaintiffs’ Memorandum in Opposition to the Federal

Election Commission’s Motion to Dismiss

 

Opposition to Motion to Dismiss

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Table of Contents

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Facts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Argument. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

I. Plaintiffs’ As-Applied Claims Are Not Precluded.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

A. Claim Preclusion Is Not Applicable.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

i. As-Applied Challenges Are Available Remedies... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

ii. Different Nucleus of Facts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

1. Nucleus of Facts in McConnell.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

2. Nucleus of Facts in this Case. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

B. Issue Preclusion Is Not Applicable.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

i. McConnell Did Not Decide Future As-Applied Challenges. . . . . . . . . . . 16

ii. McConnell’s Facial Holding.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

iii. Issues in this Case.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

II. Plaintiffs’ Claims Do Not Fail As a Matter of Law.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Opposition to Motion to Dismiss i

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Table of Authorities

Cases

Allen v. McCurry, 449 U.S. 90 (1980).. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Apotex, Inc. v. Food & Drug Admin. et al., 393 F.3d 210 (D.C. Cir. 2004). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Boateng v. InterAmerican University, 210 F. 3d 56 (1st Cir. 2000). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Broadrick v. Oklahoma, 413 U.S. 601 (1973). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Buckley v. Valeo, 424 U.S. 1 (1976). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3, 19

C.I.R. v. Sunnen, 333 U.S. 591 (1948).. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Conley v. Gibson, 355 U.S. 41 (1957). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

CoreStates Bank v. Huls American, Inc., 176 F.3d 187 (3rd Cir. 1999). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Drake v. F.A.A., 291 F.3d 59 (D.C. Cir. 2002). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

FEC v. Wisconsin Right to Life, 127 S. Ct. 2652 (2007). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Gonzales v. Carhart, 127 S. Ct. 1610 (2007) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Hatch v. Boulder Town Council, 471 F. 3d 1142 (10th Cir. 2006). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

J.Z.G. Resources, Inc. v. Shelby Ins. Co., 84 F.3d 211(6th Cir. 1996). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Kratville v. Runyon, 90 F.3d 195 (7th Cir. 1996). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Lafreniere Park Foundation v. Broussard, 221 F. 3d 804 (5th Cir. 2000);.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

McConnell v. FEC, 540 U.S. 93 (2003).. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 6, 8-13, 18, 20

Montana v. U. S., 440 U.S. 147 (1979). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5, 16

North Carolina Right to Life v. Leake, 525 F.3d 274 (4th Cir. 2008.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Page v. U.S., 729 F.2d 818 (D.C. Cir. 1984). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Pittston Co. v. U.S., 199 F.3d 694 (4th Cir.1999). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Opposition to Motion to Dismiss ii

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Poe v. John Deere Co., 695 F.2d 1103 (8th Cir. 1982). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Ragsdale v. Rubbermaid, Inc., 193 F.3d 1235 (11th Cir. 1999). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Stanton v. District of Columbia Court of Appeals, 127 F.3d 72 (D.C. Cir. 1997). . . . . . . . . . 6, 15

Taylor v. Sturgell, 128 S. Ct. 2161 (2008).. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

U.S. ex rel. Barajas v. Northrop Corp., 147 F. 3d 905 (9th Cir. 1998).. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

United States v. Salerno, 481 U.S. 739 (1987). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Waldman v. Village of Kiryas Joel, 207 F.3d 102 (2nd Cir. 2000). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Washington State Grange v. Washington State Rep. Party, 128 S. Ct. 1184 (2008) . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Wisconsin Right to Life, Inc v. FEC, 546 U.S. 410 (2006). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16, 17, 19

Wise v. Glickman, 257 F. Supp. 2d 123 (D.D.C. 2003). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Yamaha Corp. of America v. U.S., 961 F.2d 245 (D.C. Cir. 1992). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16, 20

Statutes, Regulations and Constitutional Provisions

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, Pub L. No. 107-155, 116 Stat. 81. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

2 U.S.C. § 441i.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . passim

2 U.S.C. § 431(20). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 18

2 U.S.C. § 431(22). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 4

11 C.F.R. § 300.2.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

11 C.F.R. § 100.26.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Opposition to Motion to Dismiss iii

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Other Authorities

Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(d). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

WRIGHT & MILLER, FEDERAL PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE, 

Definition of Claim or Cause of Action, 18 F.P.P.§ 407 (2008) .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Opposition to Motion to Dismiss iv

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Introduction

Plaintiffs Republican National Committee (“RNC”) et al. file this opposition to the

Defendant Federal Election Commission’s (“FEC”) motion to dismiss, (Dkt. 20). On November

13, 2008, Plaintiffs filed their complaint alleging that § 101 of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform

Act of 2002 (“BCRA”), Pub L. No. 107-155, 116 Stat. 81, 82-86, codified at 2 U.S.C. § 441i,

was unconstitutional as applied to their intended activities. (Dkt. 1) (“Complaint”). In accordance

with this Court’s scheduling order, (Dkt. 19), Plaintiffs filed their motion for summary judgment

on January 26, 2009, (Dkt. 21). On that same day, the FEC filed its motion to dismiss, which

argues that Plaintiffs’ constitutional challenge is precluded by res judicata. Plaintiffs respond

accordingly. 

Facts

Plaintiffs bring an as-applied challenge to the constitutionality of portions of § 101 of the

BCRA, which added a new § 323 (entitled “Soft Money of Political Parties”) to the Federal

Election Campaign Act (“FECA”). The challenged provisions are codified at 2 U.S.C. § 441i and

will herein be called the “Federal Funds Restriction” for ease of identification.

The Federal Funds Restriction prohibits national committees of a political party and their

officials from soliciting or using any non-federal funds,1 regardless of their purpose. They may

solicit and use only federal funds. 2 U.S.C. § 441i(a). The Federal Funds Restriction also

1

 “Federal funds” are those complying with federal limits, bans, and reporting

requirements. 11 C.F.R. § 300.2(g). “Non-federal funds” are those that do not comply with

federal limits and bans. Id. § 300.2(k). Depending on how a state’s law compares with federal

law, money raised under state law may or may not be “non-federal.” As used in this brief,

however, the term “state funds” – which, unlike “federal funds” and “non-federal funds,” is not a

term of art – means non-federal funds that comply with the law of the state in question.

Opposition to Motion to Dismiss 1

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prohibits state committees of a political party from using non-federal funds for “federal election

activity.” Id. § 441i(b). “Federal election activity” includes: (1) voter registration activity in the

120 days before a federal election; (2) “voter identification, get-out-the-vote activity or generic

campaign activity” in connection with elections for federal office; and (3) public

communications2

 that clearly identify and “promote,” “attack,” “support,” or “oppose” (“PASO”)

a federal candidate. Id. § 431(20). 

Following the enactment of the BCRA in 2002, a host of political parties and officers,

including Plaintiffs in this action,3

 brought a facial challenge to the Federal Funds Restriction in

McConnell v. FEC, 251 F. Supp.2d 176 (D.D.C. 2003). This Court largely struck down the

Federal Funds Restriction as an impermissible infringement of Plaintiffs’ First Amendment

rights. Id. However, on appeal the Supreme Court reversed this Court’s decision and upheld the

Federal Funds Restriction on its face, McConnell v. FEC, 540 U.S. 93 (2003), finding that “in the

main, [it] does little more than regulate the ability of wealthy individuals, corporations, and

unions to contribute large sums of money to influence federal elections, federal candidates, and

federal officeholders.” 540 U.S. at 138 (emphasis added). Thus, the Restriction was closely

drawn to the governmental interest in preventing corruption or its appearance. Id. at 160, 167.

The present action arises from the factual setting left in McConnell’s wake. The Federal

Funds Restriction has greatly impaired Plaintiffs’ ability to participate in a variety of activities

unrelated to federal elections and campaigns. Affidavit of Richard Clinton Beeson (Dkt. 21, Exh.

2Defined in 2 U.S.C. § 431(22) and 11 C.F.R. § 100.26.

3Plaintiffs Republican National Committee, California Republican Party, and Mike

Duncan (in his capacity as the RNC treasurer) were named plaintiffs in McConnell. The

Republican Party of San Diego was not. 

Opposition to Motion to Dismiss 2

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1) at ¶ 17 (“Beeson Affidavit”); Declaration of Bill Christiansen (Dkt. 21, Exh. 3) at ¶¶ 12, 16.

Unlike the pre-BCRA factual record before the Court in McConnell, Plaintiffs’ intended

activities are too far removed from federal candidates and officeholders to pose any threat of

corruption or its appearance. Plaintiffs’ intended activities involve what the Federal Funds

Restriction does other than “in the main.” That is, they deal with activities not unambiguously

related to influencing federal elections, federal candidates, or federal officeholders.

The RNC intends to solicit non-federal funds and state funds into separate segregated

accounts, which will be used to support a variety of activities that are not “unambiguously related

to the campaign of a particular federal candidate.” Buckley v. Valeo, 424 U.S. 1, 80 (1976). These

accounts include: (1) a New Jersey Account and a Virginia Account to be used to support state

candidate and state elections in those states, (2) a Grassroots Lobbying Account to pay for

grassroots lobbying4 activities on legislation and public policy issues of import to the RNC, (3) a

Litigation Account to pay for litigation expenses in matters unrelated to federal candidates and

campaigns, (4) State Elections Accounts for various states to support state candidates and state

elections, (5) a Redistricting Account to support state redistricting efforts, and (6) a Building

Account to pay for expenses relating to the upkeep of the RNC headquarters. Complaint at ¶¶ 16-

22; Beeson Affidavit at ¶¶ 3-17. No federal candidates can or will be involved in soliciting funds

into any of these accounts and the RNC will not grant contributors to these accounts with

preferential access to any federal candidates or officeholders. Complaint at ¶ 26; Beeson Affidavit

4

 Contrary to the FEC’s assertion, “grassroots lobbying” is not used interchangeably with

the term “issue advocacy.” FEC Mem. in Sup. of Mot. to Dismiss (Dkt. 20) at 13 n. 5. Rather,

grassroots lobbying is properly understood as one of many forms or types of issue advocacy. In

other words, while grassroots lobbying is per se issue advocacy, issue advocacy also includes a

multitude of other activities that do not qualify as grassroots lobbying.

Opposition to Motion to Dismiss 3

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at ¶ 19. All solicitations into these accounts and disbursements for these accounts would be made

in accordance with any applicable state law. The RNC is prohibited by the Federal Funds

Restriction from undertaking any of these activities. 

The California Republican Party and the Republican Party of San Diego County

(collectively “the CRP”) intend to use state funds for public communications to support or

oppose California ballot initiatives. See 2 U.S.C. § 431(22) (defining “public communication”);

11 C.F.R. § 100.26 (same). These ballot measure activities are enhanced by associating

Democratic federal candidates and officeholders with ballot measures that the CRP opposes, and

by associating Republican candidates and officeholders with ballot measures that the CRP

supports. In addition, referring to federal candidates on direct-mail fundraising appeals enhances

their effectiveness. The CRP has developed a fundraising letter (the “Letter”) that it intends to

distribute that supports the qualification of a California state ballot initiative to reform the way

redistricting is done. Although it is about a state ballot measure, the CRP believes its public

communications will “attack” or “oppose” federal candidates, because it mentions Sen. Boxer

and Rep. Pelosi. Thus, the CRP is prohibited from using state funds to distribute its letter. See id.

§ 441i(b)(1). The CRP also intends to use state funds for voter registration, voter identification,

and GOTV activities in future elections. None of these activities will identify, reference, or

otherwise depict any federal candidate. Declaration of Bill Christiansen (Dkt. 21, Exh. 3) at ¶¶ 7,

12, 16. Nonetheless, the CRP is also prohibited from using state funds to engage in these state

election activities. Complaint at ¶¶ 23-25.

Opposition to Motion to Dismiss 4

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Argument

“A complaint may not be dismissed for failure to state a claim ‘unless it appears beyond

doubt that the plaintiff[s] can prove no set of facts in support of [their] claim which would entitle

[them] to relief.’” Wise v. Glickman, 257 F. Supp. 2d 123, 127 (D.D.C. 2003) (quoting Conley v.

Gibson, 355 U.S. 41, 45-46 (1957)).

5

 All facts alleged in the complaint must be viewed in the

light most favorable to the Plaintiffs and all inferences are to be decided in favor of the Plaintiffs.

Id.

Because the doctrines of claim preclusion and issue preclusion do not bar Plaintiffs’

claims, and because their claims do not fail as a matter of law, the FEC’s motion to dismiss must

be denied. 

I. Plaintiffs’ As-Applied Claims Are Not Precluded

A. Claim Preclusion Is Not Applicable

The doctrine of claim preclusion provides that “a final judgment on the merits bars

further claims by parties or their privies based on the same cause of action.” Montana v. U. S.,

440 U.S. 147, 153 (1979). This “forecloses ‘successive litigation of the very same claim, whether

or not relitigation of the claim raises the same issues as the earlier suit.’” Taylor v. Sturgell, 128

S. Ct. 2161, 2171 (2008) (citation omitted).6 “[V]irtually all federal courts” have adopted the

transactional approach to determine whether two suits involve the same cause of action. WRIGHT

5

 Plaintiffs recognize that by citing to facts outside of the complaint in this opposition, the

motion to dismiss may be treated as one for summary judgment. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(d).

6

 As noted by the FEC, there is no dispute that RNC, CRP, Duncan, and the FEC were

parties in McConnell, that jurisdiction was proper in McConnell, and that McConnell was

decided by a valid judgment on the merits. FEC Mem. at 9.

Opposition to Motion to Dismiss 5

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& MILLER, FEDERAL PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE, Definition of Claim or Cause of Action, 18

F.P.P.§ 407 (2008) (transactional approach is “the predominant federal rule”). See Boateng v.

InterAmerican University, 210 F. 3d 56, 61-62 (1st Cir. 2000); Waldman v. Village of Kiryas

Joel, 207 F.3d 105 (2nd Cir. 2000); CoreStates Bank v. Huls American, Inc., 176 F.3d 187, 194

(3rd Cir. 1999); Pittston Co. v. U.S., 199 F.3d 694, 704 (4th Cir.1999); Lafreniere Park

Foundation v. Broussard, 221 F. 3d 804 (5th Cir. 2000); J.Z.G. Resources, Inc. v. Shelby Ins.

Co., 84 F.3d 211, 215 (6th Cir. 1996); Kratville v. Runyon, 90 F.3d 195, 198 (7th Cir. 1996); Poe

v. John Deere Co., 695 F.2d 1103, 1106 (8th Cir. 1982); U.S. ex rel. Barajas v. Northrop Corp.,

147 F. 3d 905, 910-911 (9th Cir. 1998); Hatch v. Boulder Town Council, 471 F. 3d 1142, 1149

(10th Cir. 2006); Ragsdale v. Rubbermaid, Inc., 193 F.3d 1235, 1239 & n.8 (11th Cir. 1999).

The “transactional” approach examines whether a claim arises from the “same nucleus of

facts” as a previous claim. Page v. U.S., 729 F.2d 818, 820 (D.C. Cir. 1984). “Federal law is

clear that post-judgment events give rise to new claims, so that claim preclusion is no bar.”

Stanton v. District of Columbia Court of Appeals, 127 F.3d 72, 78 (D.C. Cir. 1997). And “[claim

preclusion] does not bar parties from bringing claims based on material facts that were not in

existence when they brought the original suit.” Apotex, Inc. v. Food & Drug Admin. et al., 393

F.3d 210, 218 (D.C. Cir. 2004).

The FEC argues that the Supreme Court’s facial upholding of the Federal Funds

Restriction in McConnell, 540 U.S. 93, precludes Plaintiffs’ current claims. Plaintiffs, the FEC

asserts, are “‘simply raising a new legal theory’” based on the same nucleus of facts at issue in

McConnell. FEC’s Mem. in Sup. of Mot. to Dismiss (Dkt. 20) at 20 (citation omitted) (“FEC

Mem.”). The FEC’s argument is without merit. The availability of future as-applied challenges,

Opposition to Motion to Dismiss 6

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which was expressly contemplated in McConnell, would be wholly illusory if such challenges

were barred by claim preclusion. Furthermore, Plaintiffs’ as-applied claims arise from a nucleus

of facts that did not exist and was not considered in McConnell.

i. As-Applied Challenges Are Available Remedies

The plaintiffs who facially challenged the Federal Funds Restriction in McConnell are not

precluded from bringing a subsequent as-applied challenge to that same provision. So contrary to

the FEC’s argument, the distinction between facial and as-applied challenges is not “legally

irrelevant.” FEC Mem. at 20. 

Facial challenges are greatly disfavored, see United States v. Salerno, 481 U.S. 739

(1987), and, in the context of the First Amendment, in order to succeed on such a challenge, a

plaintiff must prove that the law is “impermissibly overbroad because a ‘substantial number’ of

its applications are unconstitutional, ‘judged in relation to the statute’s plainly legitimate

sweep.’” Washington State Grange v. Washington State Rep. Party, 128 S. Ct. 1184, 1190 n. 6

(2008) (citation omitted). In contrast, a plaintiff in an as-applied challenge must merely show that

the law is unconstitutional when applied to a specific course of conduct or fact pattern. See FEC

v. Wisconsin Right to Life, 127 S. Ct. 2652 (2007) (“WRTL II”). 

The Supreme Court has routinely permitted parties to bring subsequent as-applied

challenges to laws that it has facially upheld. See Gonzales v. Carhart, 127 S. Ct. 1610, 1638-39

(2007) (upholding law facially but noting availability of future as applied challenges: “It is

neither our obligation nor within our traditional institutional role to resolve questions of

constitutionality with respect to each potential situation that might develop”); see also Broadrick

v. Oklahoma, 413 U.S. 601, 615-16 (1973) (where overbreadth challenge fails, “whatever

Opposition to Motion to Dismiss 7

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overbreadth may exist should be cured through case-by-case analysis of the fact situations to

which” a statute, “assertedly, may not be applied”).

Likewise, McConnell also expressly contemplated future as-applied challenges to the

BCRA by the same plaintiffs who were parties there. See, e.g., 540 U.S. at 157 n. 52 (leaving

open as-applied challenges to § 323(a), even by the same plaintiffs, if a state’s law interferes with

federal funds contributions), 159 (allowing a minor parties to bring as-applied challenges to

§323(a) if they are unable to amass the necessary resources for effective advocacy), 173

(allowing state and local parties to bring as-applied challenges to § 323(b) if it reduces the party’s

ability to effectively advocate), 242 (leaving open the possibility of the McConnell plaintiff’s

bringing a challenge to §504 as interpreted by the FCC, or as otherwise applied), 243-44

(allowing for future as-applied challenges to § 504). The fact that the Court left open the

possibility of as-applied challenges (a) to the exact provisions facially challenged in McConnell, 

(b) by the exact same plaintiffs as were in McConnell, shows that a previous facial challenge

does not preclude a subsequent as-applied challenge such as this one. 

For example, the national party plaintiffs in McConnell, including the RNC, argued that

the Federal Funds Restriction’s prohibition on soliciting non-federal funds and state funds was

unconstitutional on its face. Id. at 157. The Court upheld the provision noting that under the

BCRA political parties remained free to solicit federal funds. However, the McConnell plaintiffs

had argued that the option of soliciting federal funds to state candidates was “illusory” because

many states prohibited candidates from maintaining a separate federal account, which thereby

prohibited state candidates from receiving federal funds. Id. at 157 n.52. In response, the Court

stated:

Opposition to Motion to Dismiss 8

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[T]he challenge we are considering is a facial one, and on its face [the Federal

Funds Restriction] permits solicitations. The fact that a handful of states might

interfere with the mechanism Congress has chosen for such solicitations is an

argument that may be addressed in an as-applied challenge. 

Id. Thus, despite its facial holding, the Court assumed the availability of future as-applied

challenges to the plaintiffs there, including the RNC.

Similarly, the McConnell state party plaintiffs, including the CRP, argued that the Federal

Funds Restriction was unconstitutional on its face because it impaired their ability to engage in

effective advocacy in state elections. Id. at 173. The Court, however, stated that the state party’s

evidence was “‘speculative’” and that “political parties are extraordinarily flexible in adapting to

new restrictions on their fundraising abilities.” Id. Thus, the Court held, “on its face” the law was

“closely drawn to match [] important governmental interests . . . .” Id. Nonetheless, the Court

noted that “as-applied challenges remain available” so plaintiffs, including the CRP, could

subsequently present new evidence demonstrating the Federal Funds Restriction’s impact on

them. Id.

So McConnell expressly contemplated that as-applied challenges remained available to

the same plaintiffs who had facially challenged the law. But under the FEC’s expansive view of

claim preclusion, such future as-applied challenges would be barred. This cannot be correct, for

the Supreme Court cannot be presumed to have engaged in such a game of bait-and-switch, i.e.

state that as-applied challenges remain available when they would be barred by claim preclusion.

The fact that Plaintiffs challenged the Federal Funds Restriction on its face in McConnell does

not preclude them from bringing a subsequent as-applied challenge to that same provision.

Opposition to Motion to Dismiss 9

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ii. Different Nucleus of Facts

Not only is claim preclusion inapplicable because this is an as-applied challenge, but it is

also inapplicable because Plaintiffs’ as-applied claims arise from a different nucleus of facts than

were at issue in McConnell.

1. Nucleus of Facts in McConnell

As set out in Plaintiffs’ Memorandum in Support of Summary Judgment (Dkt. 21) at 21-

27, McConnell sustained the Federal Funds Restriction against a facial overbreadth challenge

based on the pre-BCRA factual record before the Court. As described more fully below, the

Court determined that this record indicated that (1) political parties were using non-federal funds

and state funds to influence federal elections and (2) national parties were employing fundraising

practices that provided large donors of non-federal funds with special access to federal

candidates and officeholders. 540 U.S. at 145-52. Based on these facts in the record, McConnell

concluded that the means by which national parties used the relationship between themselves and

federal officeholders rendered “all large soft-money contributions to national parties suspect.” Id.

at 155 (emphasis added).

7

 Thus, as the FEC describes, McConnell found that the Federal Funds

Restriction was “justified by the extensive evidence demonstrating the influence that soft-money

donors to the national parties wielded over the federal officeholders affiliated with those parties.”

FEC Mem. at 17-18. 

Similarly, in regard to the Federal Funds Restriction’s limitations on state parties,

McConnell concluded that by prohibiting state and local parties from using non-federal funds and

state funds for “federal election activity” the Federal Funds Restriction was “narrowly focused”

7

 The term “soft money” is often used to describe “non-federal funds” and “state funds.” 

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to “those contributions to state and local parties that can be used to benefit federal candidates

directly.” Id. at 167 (emphasis added).

So what material facts in the record did McConnell rely on as justifying the Federal Funds

Restriction? First, pre-BCRA, non-federal funds and state funds were “in many cases solicited by

the candidates themselves. . . . .” Id. at 125. McConnell noted that “federal officeholders []

commonly asked donors to make soft-money donations to national and state committees ‘solely

in order to assist federal campaigns,’ including the officeholder’s own.” Id. at 146 (citation

omitted). “Parties kept tallies,” McConnell continued, “of the amounts of soft money raised by

each officeholder, and the amount of money a Member of Congress raise[d] for the national

political committees often affect[ed] the amount the committee g[a]ve to assist the Member’s

campaign.’” Id. (citation omitted). And national political parties and candidates “often teamed”

up in “joint fundraising” efforts, so that candidates could “‘rais[e] soft money for use in their

own races.” Id. at 146-47 (citation omitted). By prohibiting federal candidates and officeholders

from soliciting non-federal funds, 2 U.S.C. § 441i(e), the BCRA effectively eliminated these

practices. 

Second, McConnell relied on “the manner in which parties ha[d] sold access to federal

candidates and officeholders. . . .” 540 U.S. at 153-54. The Court found that the pre-BCRA

record was “replete with [] examples of national party committees peddling access to federal

candidates and officeholders in exchange for large soft-money donations.” Id. at 150. “[T]he six

national party committees actually furnish[ed] their own menus of opportunities for access to

would-be soft-money donors, with increased prices reflecting an increased level of access.” Id. at

151. National parties regularly offered meetings with officeholders in return for large donations

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of non-federal funds, and parties encouraged officeholders to meet with large donors. Id. at 151-

52.

Third, McConnell relied on political party’s historical use of non-federal funds and state

funds to influence federal elections. The Court found that under the pre-BCRA regulatory

scheme, “parties were able to use vast amounts of soft money in their efforts to elect federal

candidates.” Id. at 142. “[A]s long as [donors] directed the money to the political parties, donors

could contribute large amounts of soft money for use in activities designed to influence federal

elections.” Id. at 142 (emphasis added). In addition to using such funds themselves, national

parties also transferred non-federal funds to their state party counterparts for use in influencing

federal elections. Id. at 124.

Particularly troublesome to both Congress and the Court was the use of non-federal funds

for “sham issue ads.” McConnell looked to a 1998 Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs

report, many recommendations from which were adopted by Congress in the BCRA. Id. at 130.

The report indicated that “[i]n 1996 both parties began to use large amounts of soft money to pay

for issue advertising designed to influence federal elections.” Id. at 131. These sham issue ads

“accomplished the same purposes as express advocacy,” but unlike express advocacy, parties

could use non-federal funds to pay for such ads. Id. at 131. Thus, the Court determined, unions,

corporations, and wealthy individuals were circumventing contribution limits by giving large

non-federal donations to political parties. Id. 

In short, “[u]nder [the pre-BCRA] system, corporate, union, and wealthy individual

donors [were] free to contribute substantial sums of soft money to the national parties, which the

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parties [could] spend for the specific purpose of influencing a particular candidate’s federal

election. Id. at 145.

2. Nucleus of Facts in this Case

The material facts in this as-applied challenge are significantly different than the material

facts considered by, and relied upon, in McConnell. First, no federal candidates or officeholders

will solicit funds in any of Plaintiffs’ intended activities at issue here. See Complaint ¶ 19;

Beeson Affidavit at ¶ 19. So unlike in McConnell, there is no danger that candidates will be

soliciting funds to parties to be used to assist their campaigns. Therefore,“tallying” and similar

practices that existed in the pre-BCRA record before McConnell are no longer present.

Second, unlike the pre-BCRA record in McConnell, large donors can no longer procure

preferential access to federal candidates or officeholders through their donations. In the activities

at issue in this case, the RNC will not provide any contributor of non-federal funds or state funds

with preferential access to federal candidates or officeholders, i.e. they will not treat donors of

non-federal funds and states funds any differently than contributors of federal funds. For

example, the RNC will not, in any manner different than or beyond that currently afforded to

contributors of federal funds, (1) encourage officeholders or candidates to meet with or have

other contact with contributors to these accounts, (2) arrange for contributors to participate in

conference calls with federal candidates or officeholders, or (3) offer access to federal

officeholders or candidates in exchange for contributions. Beeson Affidavit at ¶ 19. Affidavit of

Robert M. “Mike” Duncan (Dkt. 21, Exh. 2) at ¶ 6. Thus, the suspect fundraising practices in

the McConnell record that were relied on by the Court are no longer present.

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Third, unlike the pre-BCRA record in McConnell, none of Plaintiffs’ intended activities

will support any federal candidate or campaign. On the contrary, the RNC intends to solicit funds

into separate segregated accounts, and to use those funds exclusively for non-federal campaign

purposes. For example, the RNC intends to solicit funds into a Virginia Account to be used

exclusively to support candidates for state office in Virginia. And all such funds will be solicited

and spent in accordance with Virginia state law.

Finally, in the wake of the BCRA, the RNC activities have been affected to a greater

degree than it could have anticipated in McConnell. For example, the rise of “527" advocacy

groups, the explosion of internet fundraising, and the BCRA’s barriers between the RNC and

state party committees have impaired the RNC’s activities to a greater degree than it could have

expected. Beeson Affidavit at ¶ 21.

It is true that McConnell facially upheld the Federal Funds Restriction despite the fact the

record indicated that the RNC spent up to 30% of its non-federal funds and state funds on state

and local election activities. FEC Mem. at 17. However, the FEC incorrectly presumes that the

RNC’s as-applied claims rest solely on how it intends to spend non-federal funds and state funds.

Id. (“In its decision on the merits, the Court first rejected the plaintiffs’ premise that the

constitutionality of Title I – which is the statutory limit on contributions to political parties –

should be judged based on the activities for which the contributed funds would ultimately be

spent”). 

On the contrary, as discussed above, there are a host of important factual distinctions that

give rise to Plaintiffs’ cause of action. The absence of federal candidates and officeholders in

fundraising, the elimination of preferential access given to large donors, and the manner in which

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the RNC intends to solicit non-federal funds and state funds, presents a markably different

factual record than was considered in McConnell. So the simple fact that prior to the BCRA the

RNC used non-federal funds and state funds to support activities similar to the activities they

intend to support now, is not dispositive.

Plaintiffs’ cause of action arises from an entirely different factual setting than the preBCRA situation considered in McConnell. Claim preclusion “does not preclude claims based on

facts not yet in existence at the time of the original action. Drake v. F.A.A., 291 F.3d 59, 67

(D.C. Cir. 2002). As this Circuit has stated:

Litigation of the validity of one past course of conduct is not the same ‘claim’ as

either (1) litigation over the validity of similar conduct occurring after the acts

covered by the initial litigation; or (2) litigation challenging a rule in anticipation

of its possible application to similar events occurring or expected to occur after

the earlier lawsuit.

Stanton, 127 F.3d at 79 (internal citations omitted). Plaintiffs’ cause of action does not arise from

the same nucleus of facts present in McConnell, and claim preclusion is thereby inapplicable.

In sum, the doctrine of claim preclusion is no bar to this action. This action arises from a

different nucleus of facts than those present in McConnell and as-applied challenges remain as

available remedies.

B. Issue Preclusion Is Not Applicable

Not only is this action not barred by the doctrine of claim preclusion, but it is also not

barred by the doctrine of issue preclusion. Under issue preclusion, “once a court has decided an

issue of fact or law necessary to its judgment, that decision may preclude relitigation of the issue

in a suit on a different cause of action involving a party to the first case.” Allen v. McCurry, 449

U.S. 90, 94 (1980). Issue preclusion is applicable when (1) the same issue being raised by a

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party was raised in a previous case, (2) the issue was decided by a court of competent

jurisdiction, and (3) preclusion would not work a basic unfairness. Yamaha Corp. of America v.

U.S., 961 F.2d 245, 254 (D.C. Cir. 1992).

Just like claim preclusion, “changes in facts essential to a judgment will render [issue

preclusion] inapplicable in a subsequent action raising the same issues.” Montana, 440 U.S. at

159. Issue preclusion is “confined to situations where the matter raised in the second suit is

identical in all respects with that decided in the first proceeding and where the controlling facts

and applicable legal rules remain unchanged.” C.I.R. v. Sunnen, 333 U.S. 591, 600 (1948). “[I]f

the relevant facts in the two cases are separable, even though they be similar or identical, [issue

preclusion] does not govern the legal issues which recur in the second case.” Id. at 601.

Much of the discussion above in regard to claim preclusion is also applicable in regard to

issue preclusion. For example, because there is a different nucleus of facts in this case than was

in McConnell, different issues are also at stake in the two cases. Further, whether the Federal

Funds Restriction is unconstitutional facially is a different issue than whether it is

unconstitutional when applied to a specific course of conduct. 

i. McConnell Did Not Decide Future As-Applied Challenges

 While facially upholding the Federal Funds Restriction, McConnell did not decide the

issues in this as-applied challenge. In Wisconsin Right to Life, Inc. v. FEC, 546 U.S. 410 (2006)

(“WRTL I”), the Supreme Court unanimously held that, by facially upholding the BCRA’s

electioneering-communication prohibition, the Court did not decide future as-applied challenges

to that provision. Id. at 412. In upholding the BCRA’s prohibition on “electioneering

communications,” McConnell had stated that it “uph[eld] stringent restrictions on all electionOpposition to Motion to Dismiss 16

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time advertising that refers to a candidate because such advertising will often convey [a] message

of support or opposition.” 540 U.S. at 239 (emphasis in original). Thus, when WRTL sought to

challenge the electioneering communication prohibition as-applied to its anti-filibuster ads, the

FEC argued that McConnell’s facial holding had already decided the issue. The Supreme Court

in WRTL I, however, held that McConnell’s facial holding “did not purport to resolve future

as-applied challenges.” Id. at 412. WRTL I showed that broad facial analysis language about “all”

electioneering communications being subject to prohibition did not mean that the Court would

not protect electioneering communications that were genuine issue advocacy in a subsequent asapplied challenge. See 546 U.S. at 411-12.

Despite the FEC’s attempt to distinguish it, FEC Mem. at 22-24, WRTL I is analogous to

the present case. As described by the FEC, the issue in WRTL I “was [] whether McConnell had

already decided the constitutional questions raised by WRTL (as the Commission argued), or

whether McConnell had left that question to be decided at a later time (as WRTL argued).” Id. at

22. Here, just like in WRTL I, the FEC is arguing that McConnell has decided the issue in this

case because it held that “all relevant aspects of Title I were constitutional because they were

contribution limits closely drawn to match the government’s important interest in preventing

actual and apparent corruption, regardless of how contributed funds would be disbursed.” Id. at

27. And, as discussed below, just like WRTL I, broadly worded facial-analysis language in

McConnell does not preclude the present as-applied claims. Indeed, McConnell itself warned

against an overbroad reading of the language of a particular case: “We have long rigidly adhered

to the tenet never to formulate a rule of constitutional law broader than is required by the precise

Opposition to Motion to Dismiss 17

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facts to which it is to be applied for the nature of judicial review constrains us to consider the

case that is actually before us,” 540 U.S. at 192 (citation and internal quotation marks omitted). 

ii. McConnell’s Facial Holding

In upholding the Federal Fund Restriction against the national party plaintiffs’ substantial

overbreadth challenge, McConnell looked to the “close connection and alignment of interests”

between national parties and the federal officeholders and candidates who raised money for them

to find that “large soft-money contributions to national parties are likely to create actual or

apparent indebtedness on the part of federal officeholders, regardless of how those funds are

ultimately used.” Id. at 155 (emphasis added). Thus, in this substantial overbreadth context, the

Court found that even those contributions to national parties ultimately “spent on purely state and

local elections in which no federal office is at stake” were “suspect.” Id. at 154-55 (emphasis

added). 

In regard to state and local committees, the Court facially upheld the Federal Funds

Restriction as “a closely-drawn means of countering both corruption and the appearance of

corruption.” Id. at 167. McConnell stated that the Restriction was “narrowly focused on

regulating contributions that pose the greatest risk” of corruption: “those contributions to state

and local parties that can be used to benefit federal candidates directly.” Id. (emphasis added).

More specifically, in regard to the Restriction’s prohibition on the use of state funds for

communications that “promote,” “oppose,” “support,” or “attack” federal candidates, 2 U.S.C. §

431(20)(A)(iii), the Court held that the “overwhelming tendency” of such communications to

“benefit directly federal candidates” justified facially upholding the provision. McConnell, 540

U.S. at 170 (emphasis added).

Opposition to Motion to Dismiss 18

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While these findings were sufficient to uphold the law facially, they are not sufficient to

uphold the law in every application, i.e. when the activities do not pose any risk of corruption and

do not directly benefit federal candidates. In other words, by holding that all large contributions

of non-federal funds and state funds to national parties were “suspect,” id. at 155, McConnell did

not hold that every such contribution does in fact pose a threat of corruption or its appearance.

And simply because PASO communications might have the “overwhelming tendency” to directly

benefit federal candidates, does not mean that every PASO communication poses a risk of

corruption. So just like WRTL I held in respect to the electioneering communication prohibition,

McConnell “did not purport to resolve future as-applied challenges” to the Federal Funds

Restriction. WRTL I, 546 U.S. at 412.

iii. Issues in This Case

In this as-applied challenge Plaintiffs allege that the Federal Funds Restriction is

unconstitutional applied to their intended activities, which are not “unambiguously related to the

campaign of a particular federal candidate,” Buckley, 424 U.S. at 80, and are thereby too far

removed from federal candidates and elections to pose any risk of corruption or its appearance.

As set out more fully in Plaintiffs’ Memorandum in Support of Summary Judgment (Dkt. 21) at

8-18, Buckley’s unambiguously-campaign-related requirement is the governing constitutional

principle in the area of campaign finance regulation. As Judge Wilkinson has described it:

The Buckley Court [] recognized the need to cabin legislative authority over

elections in a manner that sufficiently safeguards vital First Amendment

freedoms. It did so by demarcating a boundary between regulable election-related

activity and constitutionally protected political speech: after Buckley, campaign

finance laws may constitutionally regulate only those actions that are

“unambiguously related to the campaign of a particular ... candidate.”

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North Carolina Right to Life v. Leake, 525 F.3d 274, 281 (4th Cir. 2008) (citations omitted).

Whether the Federal Funds Restriction can constitutionally be applied to Plaintiffs’

intended activities was not “actually and necessarily determined” in McConnell. Yamaha, 961

F.2d at 258. As set out above, the material facts relied on in McConnell are not present in this

case. McConnell’s holding was premised on the fact that (1) political parties were using nonfederal funds and state funds to influence federal elections and (2) national parties were

employing fundraising practices that provided large donors of non-federal funds with special

access to federal candidates and officeholders. 540 U.S. at 145-52. Neither of these concerns is

present in this as-applied challenge. In Plaintiffs’ intended activities (1) no federal candidates or

officeholders will participate in fundraising, (2) no preferential access to federal candidates or

officeholders will be provided to contributors, and (3) Plaintiffs will not use non-federal funds or

state funds to support any federal candidate of campaign. Therefore, the issue in this case was not

decided in McConnell.

Contrary to the FEC’s argument, Plaintiffs’ claims are not “premised on [a] precluded

argument regarding the way that [the] money will be spent . . . .” FEC Mem. at 28. Rather, it is

the absence of federal candidate and officeholder involvement in both the fundraising practices at

issue here and in the activities to be supported that demonstrates these activities are not

unambiguously-campaign-related. In sum, issue preclusion is not applicable because

McConnell’s facial holding did not decide the issue in this as-applied challenge. 

Opposition to Motion to Dismiss 20

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II. Plaintiffs’ Claims Do Not Fail As a Matter of Law

In Plaintiffs’ Memorandum in Support of Summary Judgement (Dkt. 21), and above,

Plaintiffs demonstrate at length why McConnell neither decided nor precludes their as-applied

claims. Therefore, Plaintiffs claims do not fail as a matter of law.

Conclusion

Because Plaintiffs claims are not precluded the FEC’s motion to dismiss should be

denied. 

Charles H. Bell, Jr.* 

Bell, McAndrews & Hiltachk, LLP

455 Capitol Mall, Suite 801

Sacramento, CA 95814

Tel: (916) 442-7757

Fax: (916) 442-7759

cbell@bmhlaw.com

Counsel for California Republican Party

and Republican Party of San Diego County

Respectfully submitted,

 /s/ James Bopp, Jr. 

James Bopp, Jr., Bar #CO0041

Richard E. Coleson*

Clayton J. Callen*

Kaylan L. Phillips*

BOPP, COLESON & BOSTROM

1 South Sixth Street

Terre Haute, IN 47807-3510

812/232-2434 telephone

812/234-3685 facsimile

Lead Counsel for all Plaintiffs

*Pro Hac Vice

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