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      FEC Record: Litigation
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      Supreme Court affirms lower court decision in Republican Party of Louisiana, et al. v. FEC

FEC Record: LitigationSupreme Court affirms lower court decision in *Republican Party of Louisiana, et al. v. FEC*May 24, 2017 On May 22, 2017, the Supreme Court affirmed the three-judge court opinion of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, which granted summary judgment to the Commission in a lawsuit brought by the Republican Party of Louisiana and two local Republican party committees in Louisiana (collectively, plaintiffs). The plaintiffs had challenged several provisions of the Federal Election Campaign Act, including the requirement that state and local political parties must generally use federal funds to finance activities in connection with federal elections, including get-out-the-vote, voter registration drives and other communications and activities. They claimed that these provisions unconstitutionally burdened their First Amendment rights by restricting their ability to use nonfederal funds (or so-called “soft money”) to finance these federal election activities, including those that they planned to do independently of any candidates. Resources:  Republican Party of Louisiana et al. v. FEClitigation page
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          Myles MartinIcon of email being sentPublic Affairs Specialist


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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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