Professor Richard Briffault Testifies Before Federal Election Commission
New York, February 16, 2015—Columbia Law School Professor Richard Briffault, an expert in election law, government ethics, and state and local law, testified before a Feb. 11 public hearing of the Federal Election Commission on a proposed rulemaking in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in McCutcheon v. FEC.
In McCutcheon, the high court invalidated aggregate contribution limits that had been part of campaign finance law for more than 40 years. The law had capped the amount an individual could give to all federal candidates, parties, and political committees at $123,200 in an election year.
Briffault directed his testimony before the commission to two subjects: coordinated expenditures and disclosures. He said the rules in these areas must be adapted to current campaign practices, including Super PACs.