Legal Document

513 U.S. 88 115 S.Ct. 537 130 L.Ed.2d 439 FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION, Petitioner,v.NRA POLITICAL VICTORY FUND et al. No. 93-1151. Supreme Court of the United States Argued Oct. 11, 1994. Decided Dec. 6, Syllabus * Petitioner Federal Election Commission (FEC) brought this civil action against respondents seeking to enforce a provision Campaign Act (FECA). The District ruled respondents. Appeals reversed and entered its judgment on October 22, 1993. Without first or obtaining Solicitor General's authorization, FEC filed in own name petition for writ certiorari January 18, 1994, two days before expiration 90-day filing period mandated by 28 U.S.C. § 2101(c). brief contending that lacked statutory authority represent itself case Court, but that, pursuant 518(a) implementing regulation, General had authorized FEC's letter dated May 26, This authorization came more than 120 after 2101(c) deadline passed. response asserting it has independent Court. Held: 1. may not independently file under 2 437d(a)(6). That statute empowers "to . appeal any provisions [the FECA]," omits mention "petition certiorari" otherwise conduct litigation By contrast, 26 §§ 9010(d) 9040(d) explicitly authorize "appeal from, review " (emphasis added), judgments actions presidential election fund laws, thereby indicating congressional intent restrict litigating such actions. contrasting language 437d(a)(6) is particularly telling because these sections were originally enacted as part same legislation. mere existence sound policy reasons providing with enforcing FECA does demonstrate alter prerogative argue Government's here, since represents choice Congress. Nor dispositive represented several enforcement cases past, none those involved challenge Court's jurisdiction. Moreover, authorizing litigate federal courts are sort substantive which can be said within agency's province interpret. Pp. __. 2. "after-the-fact" relate back date unauthorized so make timely. Under governing agency law principles, doctrine ratification, simply too late day effective: attempted ratify he could himself have time already expired. result entirely consistent with, perhaps required by, If allowed retroactively untimely petitions, would unilateral power extend days, weeks, or, even months. impermissibly blur 2101(c)'s jurisdictional deadline. Petition dismissed want Reported below: 6 F.3d 821 (CADC 1993). REHNQUIST, C.J., delivered opinion O'CONNOR, SCALIA, KENNEDY, SOUTER, THOMAS, BREYER, JJ., joined. STEVENS, J., dissenting opinion. GINSBURG, took no consideration decision case. Lawrence M. Noble, petitioner. Paul Bender, U.S., amicus curiae, special leave Charles J. Cooper, Chief Justice REHNQUIST 1 We granted Columbia Circuit holding congressionally composition petitioner (FEC), including did representatives Senate House nonvoting members, violated separation powers principle embodied Constitution. do reach merits question, however, we conclude own, effort expired breathe life into it. FEC, name, neither sought nor obtained petition. order March 21, invited addressing question "[w]hether [FEC] Court." 510 ----, 114 2703, 129 832. 27, lacks authority. stated, See Brief Amicus Curiae 13. 31, 3 A must 90 entry below. "90-day limit mandatory jurisdictional." Missouri v. Jenkins, 495 33, 45, 110 1651, 1660, 109 31 (1990). Here, 1993, appear However, if cannot certiorari, receive authorization. C.F.R. 0.20(a) (1993). then becomes whether relates examine scope 4 an established Congress "administer, seek obtain compliance formulate policy" respect (FECA) chapters 95 96 Title 26. 437c(b)(1). governs various aspects all elections, see 431 seq., whereas specifically govern administration funds campaigns payment matching primary campaigns. 9001 seq. (Presidential Fund Act), 9031 Primary Matching Payment Account Act). "exclusive jurisdiction provisions." 437c(b)(1); Comm'n National Conservative Political Action Comm., 470 480, 485, 489, 105 1459, 1462, 1464, 84 455 (1985). 5 Two separate provide provision, 437d(a)(6), applies both title It gives initiate ., defend FECA] chapter through general counsel." second contained 9040(d), only authorizes "on behalf review, decrees appears provided section." 9010(d), 9040(d). establish violation 441b(a), FECA. As noted above, "initiate" "appeal" present one. Thus, dispute exists Appeals;1 here concerns when proceeds 7 provides pertinent part: 8 "Except Attorney particular directs otherwise, shall suits appeals interested." 9 delegated General: 10 "The following-described matters assigned to, conducted, handled, supervised General, consultation each official concerned: 11 "(a) Conducting, assigning supervising, cases, appeals, petitions opposition briefs arguments, settlement thereof." 0.20 12 one "in interested," 518(a), "it conducted argued his designee." Providence Journal Co., 485 693, 700, 108 1502, 1507, 99 785 (1988); cf. Winston, 170 522, 524-525, 18 701, 702-703, 42 L.Ed. 1130 (1898); Confiscation Cases, Wall. 454, 458 (1869). 13 undisputed 518(a). recognized, "exempt from blanket coverage [§ ]." Journal, at 705, n. 9, S.Ct., 1509, 9. According exemption found Bearing mind traditional role conducting controlling agencies—a critical proper management Government supra, 702, 7, 706, 1508, 1510; id., 709, 713-714, 1511, 1513-1514 (STEVENS, dissenting)—we "must scrutiniz[e] subjec[t] ] ordinary tools construction determine intended supersede 518(a)." Id., 14 26." clearly "appeal," argues term defined FECA, absence definition construed accordance natural meaning." FDIC Meyer, 996, 1001, 127 308 (1994). refers Black's Law Dictionary (6th ed. 1990), includes, inter alia, following: 15 "There stages many state court systems; wit, trial intermediate appellate 16 argument might carry considerable weight cognate There, "[t]he decrees. added). difficult, impossible, place alongside another without concluding Such differentiation quite understandable, influence thought likely involving controversies other involved.2 17 shed light issue different statutes, drafted Congresses years, written apply agencies Government. Response 21. partially correct. Section was 1971, applied Comptroller General. Presidential Act, Pub.L. 92-178, 85 Stat. 497, 569-570. Amendments 1974 93-443, 1263, 1280, 1282-1283. transferred functions previously performed 9010, 1293, also added 9040 1302. legislation created Each sections, authority, Conference Committee whose report ultimately adopted Houses. H.R.Conf.Rep. 93-1438, pp. 967, 989 (1974). been modeled designed deal actions, find telling. American Building Maintenance Industries, 422 271, 277, 2150, 2154, 45 177 (1975); Keene Corp. States, 508 113 2035, 2040, 124 118 (1993) ("Where includes section generally presumed acts intentionally purposely disparate inclusion exclusion") (internal quotation marks citation omitted). recognize exist Congress' create charge undoubtedly influenced belief Department, headed appointee, choose ignore infractions committed members President's political party. See, e.g., Reform, 1973: Hearings Before Subcommittee Priveleges [sic] Elections Rules Administration, 93d Cong., 1st Sess., 17, 177, 186 (1973); Communications Commerce, 70-71 (1973). fact policies giving powers, 19 too, vest rule tradition course, well served practice, specialization office led keenly attuned practice granting denying certiorari. But serves well; individual necessarily parochial view interest office, broader throughout systems. Whether adverse should depends number factors lend themselves easy categorization. whole apt fare better decisions concentrated single official. 1510. 20 obviously choose, so, sacrifice favoring concentration favor allowing own. think bespeaks choice. impressed occasions past having raised regarding Massachusetts Citizens Life, Inc., 479 238, 107 616, 93 539 (1986) (finding 441b unconstitutional applied); Right Work 459 197, 103 552, 74 364 (1982) (involving interpretation 441b(b)(4)(C)); Bread Comm. Comm'n, 577, 102 1235, 71 432 application 437h(a)); Democratic Senatorial 454 38, 70 23 (1981) 441a(d)(3)); California Medical Assn. 453 182, 101 2712, 69 567 (upholding constitutionality certain campaign expenditure limitations imposed seq.). challenged therefore open us. Will Michigan Dept. State Police, 491 58, 63, 4, 2304, 2308, (1989) ("this never considered bound [by prior sub silentio holdings] subsequent finally brings us") (citation internal omitted); L.A. Tucker Truck Lines, 344 73 67, 69, 97 54 (1952) (same). And discussed courts, 37, 44, (1981), relied upon dealt Commission's litigation. 21 Because follows FEC. come until not. 22 least presumptively governed principles law, ratification. "If act effective creating right deprive him specific time, affirmance unless made time." Restatement (Second) Agency (1958); Comment ("The bringing action, appeal, purported agent ratified cause terminated lapse time"). Though context, recognized rationale behind rule: intervening rights third persons defeated In words, essential party ratifying able merely done, ratification made." Cook Tullis, (18 Wall.) 332, 338, 933 (1874) 20, His effective. Nasewaupee Sturgeon Bay, 77 Wis.2d 110, 116-119, 251 N.W.2d 845, 848-849 (1977) (refusing uphold town board's private attorney's commencement lawsuit where run); Wagner Globe, 150 Ariz. 82, 87, 722 P.2d 250, 255 (holding invalid city council's attempt police chief's dismissal officer commenced wrongful discharge action). Trenton Fowler-Thorne 57 N.J.Super. 196, 154 A.2d 369 (1959) city's though occurred expired). produces 2101(c), "We except permits." 1660. expired, case, blurring appealability, consequences, above clear." Budinich Becton Dickinson & 486 202, 1717, 1722, 100 178 (1988). 24 hold dismiss 25 ordered. GINSBURG 27 dissenting. "is administrative vested exclusive over [Federal Campaign] Act." Committee, 198, 2, 555, (1982). Both plain statute, 311(a)(6), 1282, amended, unfortunate our history gave rise creation approval 29 expressly enacted, invoke 437h Act.1 Although literally encompass far reading used embrace prosecuted mandamus, notice appeal. Indeed, (1988 ed., Supp. V), "suits appeals." "suits" apparently original jurisdiction, "appeals" refer broad range litigation, 30 ambiguity word apparent 9101(d) majority relies cabin uses describe categories text contradistinction "writ indicate appeals. infra. thus used, describes entire category writs I reason assuming incorporate narrow, rather broad, understanding "appeal." historical context demonstrates adopts today unfaithful passed amendments perceived abuses arising out 1972 culminating resignation President Nixon. legislative reveals "[p]robably most significant reform emerge Watergate scandal nonpartisan supervise laws relating elections."2 32 One dramatic events firing prosecutor Archibald Cox 1973. When threatened secure judicial determination violating deliver tapes, Nixon ordered fire Cox. Deputy refused, instead resigned. carried capacity Acting re Olson, 818 F.2d 34, 41-42 1987) (per curiam). incident, known "Saturday Night Massacre," sparked tremendous public outrage, surely aware. Against background, likely, less year later, dependent 33 short, shows ample oversee free Executive influence. intent. 34 Given unsurprising long uninterrupted Court.3 Though, notes, ante, __, preclude us reexamining contemporaneous confirmation BankAmerica 462 122, 131, 2266, 2271, 76 456 (1983). during administrations Presidents Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Attorneys Solicitors object exercise noted: 35 '[J]ust extent conveyed language, assertion who presumably alert it, equally determining actually conferred.' Ibid., quoting FTC Bunte Brothers, 312 349, 352, 61 580, 582, 881 (1941). 36 FPC Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line 337 498, 513, 1251, 1260, 1499 (1949) ("Failure use important [over years] indicates believe existed"). 37 rejecting dictated history, longstanding primarily differences between 9040(d).4 relevant conferred additional unusual responsibilities 1971 (Fund funding campaigns.5 1974. suggests reveal give limited latter statute. 38 support wishes them bear. striking similarity 9010 9040, little copy 9010.6 No evidence whatsoever significance wording expressed sufficient failing well-accepted interpretation.7 39 Furthermore, majority's statutes rests anomalous premise decided while similar connection regulatory explains anomaly hypothesizing "presidential involved." Ante, ___. 40 hypothesis untenable. 41 "[B]oth play regulating comes candidate chooses accept campaign, covers nominating convention election. campaigns, regardless publicly privately funded." 491, 1465, Finally, admittedly important, relatively undramatic piece legislation, seized national (and congressional) attention. notion motivated concern about improper ignored belied "a page history". New York Trust Co. Eisner, 256 345, 506, 507, 65 963 (1921) (Holmes, J.). 43 During decades repeatedly express initiate, defend, action" "through counsel" encompasses discretionary now almost extinct remain persuaded settled faithful underlying purpose respectfully dissent. syllabus constitutes prepared Reporter Decisions convenience reader. Detroit Lumber 200 321, 337, 282, 287, 50 499. 516 519, subject control "[e]xcept law." "initiation" fall "otherwise law" exception. dissent says incongruous assume wanted [appellate] proceeding 437h, statute." Post, interests "because certiorari." scheme, constitutional challenges certified sitting en banc, directly (1976 III). Association 188-189, 2717-2718, (1981). 437h. incongruous, say least, Final Report Select Activities, S.Rep. 93-981, 2d 564 resulting merits, see, First Bank Boston Bellotti, 435 765, 98 1407, 55 707 (1978); Austin Chamber 494 652, 1391, 652 Cf. R. Stern, E. Gressman, S. Shapiro, K. Geller, Practice 68, 56 (7th 1993) (noting 437d(a)(6)). Sections identical. They read: "(d) Appeal. amendment identical, substantially similar. Compare, 9010(b) attorneys counsel described subsection (a) district recovery amounts determined payable Secretary Treasury examination audit 9007") 9040(b) authorized, (a), institute 9038"). aside, note strict creates oddities. For example, seems me narrow adversaries. Compare (granting review") (1994) (delegating "petitions certiorari")

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