Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/19pdf/19-122_k536.pdf
Page Number: 6.0

Cite as:  589 U. S. ____ (2019) 

1 

Statement of GINSBURG, J. 

SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES 

DAVID THOMPSON, ET AL., v. HEATHER HEBDON, 
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ALASKA 
PUBLIC OFFICES COMMISSION, ET AL. 

ON PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED 
STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT 

No. 19–122.  Decided November 25, 2019

  Statement of JUSTICE GINSBURG. 

I do not oppose a remand to take account of  Randall v. 
Sorrell, 548 U. S. 230 (2006).  I note, however, that Alaska’s 
law does not exhibit certain features found troublesome in 
Vermont’s law.  For example, unlike in Vermont, political 
parties in Alaska are subject to much more lenient contri-
bution  limits  than  individual  donors. 
  Alaska  Stat. 
§15.13.070(d)  (2018);  see  Randall,  548  U. S.,  at  256–259. 
Moreover, Alaska has the second smallest legislature in the
country  and  derives  approximately  90  percent  of  its  reve-
nues  from  one  economic  sector—the  oil  and  gas  industry. 
As the District Court suggested, these characteristics make 
Alaska “highly, if not uniquely, vulnerable to corruption in
politics  and  government.”  Thompson  v.  Dauphinais,  217 
F. Supp. 3d 1023, 1029 (Alaska 2016).  “[S]pecial justifica-
tion” of this order may warrant Alaska’s low individual con-
tribution limit.  See Randall, 548 U. S., at 261.