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Daily Archives: August 23, 2007

FEC Issues Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Electioneering Communications

Press release: “The Federal Election Commission (FEC/Commission) today approved a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to implement the Supreme Court decision in Wisconsin Right to Life v. FEC (WRTL). The Court ruled that the specific ads in question were not the “functional equivalent of express advocacy” because they were “susceptible of a reasonable interpretation other than as an appeal to vote for or against a clearly identified Federal candidate.” Therefore, the Court determined, the ads in question were entitled to an exemption from the restriction on the use of corporate or union funds for electioneering communications…The full text of the Notice can be found here.”

DHS Satellite Surveillance Plan Under Close Scrutiny by House Homeland Security Cmte.

The Wall Street Journal today reported that House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff stating the intention to conduct careful oversight over the fall 2007 launch of the National Applications Office (NAO). This program’s use of “spy satellites for domestic homeland security and law enforcement purposes”… Continue Reading