campaign finance

The San Francisco Chronicle reports on a case that could go even farther than Citizens United in limiting campaign-finance controls in favor of free speech. The case the U.S. Supreme Court will hear this term "involves a law that puts a ceiling of $123,200 on individuals who donate to multiple federal candidates, parties and political action committees during a two-year election cycle," the Chronicle reports. Advocates of overturning the limit argue it violates free-speech rights, but opponents argue such rules better ensure fair elections by controlling the amount of money the affluent can pump into campaigns.

Five Philadelphia judges have had their financial records subpoenaed by federal prosecutors, including in connection to a convicted felon who was an active Democratic Party fundraiser and who won a lawsuit, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Sources told the Inqy they were unsure of the focus of the investigation beyond interest in cases being possibly fixed. Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Seamus P. McCaffery also is the subject to a federal probe, The Legal Intelligencer reported a few weeks ago: http://m.americanlawyer.com/module/alm/app/tal.do#!/article/1106224228