Proposed Broad Regulations Could Strangle Political Speech for Individuals
Send Your Comments to the Federal Elections Commission
UPDATED January 13, 2000
ORIGINALLY POSTED January 4, 2000
The Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) is a complicated law regulating contributions, expenditures, and public statements expressing support for candidates for federal office. It places limits on how much can be spent by individuals and requires reporting of certain contributions and labeling of political statements.
The Wizard feels this is all well and good when used to regulate the actions of large, well financed organizations, like unions, PACS and the NRA. But what about individuals like you and me? Read about the Zach Exley vs. Presidential Candidate George W. Bush legal battle in the article below.
The FECA was designed for the expensive, centralized media like radio and TV, but is written in general terms. Therefore, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) has begun applying the law to campaign-related speech on the Internet. In its initial rulings, the FEC failed to understand the unique nature of the Internet. Its rulings threatened to burden - even silence - the voice of average citizens taking advantage of the power of the Internet to state their political views.
As always the Center for Democracy & Technology has done a superb and in depth job of reporting on this issue. Even more importantly, they are making it easy for the average Netizen to comment on the law and regulations. Link to their site now and make your voice heard!
![[Blue Ribbon Campaign icon]](http://br.eff.org/br.gif)
George W. Bush
Uses FEC Regs to Attack Parody Site
January 13, 2000
The FEC Regulations discussed at right are being used by the leading Republican presidential contender to attempt to shut down, www.gwbush.com, a site containing material that highlights the potential contradictions between Bush's murky past and his "tough on drugs" stance today.
Bush has filed complaints that the parody site violates Federal Election Commission and copyright laws. The Bush campaign has also filed cease-and-desist letters to shut it down.
Site creator Zach Exley has attracted an unexpected defender,
The Rutherford Institute (of the infamous Paula Jones Case).
Rutherford President John Whitehead says, "If they pursue this any further, of course, we'll be there with lawyers."
Whitehead went on to add, "We've already contacted some affiliate law firms, and they're interested in taking this case. So whatever happens, he'll have a formidable defense.... If [Bush] wants to fight this out, we're ready and willing and would have a lot of fun doing it."
