McComish

In Arizona, a state law that encourages candidates to accept public financing of their campaigns if they will give up accepting large bribes from private donors is being challenged before the U.S. Supreme Court in a case called McComish v.

Carl Pope: There Goes the Fig Leaf Carl Pope 2011

In Arizona, a state law that encourages candidates to accept public financing of their campaigns if they will give up accepting large bribes from private donors is being challenged before the U.S. Supreme Court in a case called McComish v.

Carl Pope: There Goes the Fig Leaf Carl Pope 2011

But in oral arguments in McComish, Justice Stephen Breyer made it clear that he believes that campaign finance reform is fundamentally in danger of being dealt "death by a thousand cuts."

Morgan Pehme: Pulling the Trigger: U.S. Supreme Court Threatens Campaign Finance Reform in NYC Morgan Pehme 2011

Rather than naively hoping for the best in McComish, the Council must immediately turn its attention to preserving a campaign finance system that has succeeded in amplifying the voices of regular citizens, while keeping at bay, to a degree, the special interests who already far have too much say in how we are governed.

Morgan Pehme: Pulling the Trigger: U.S. Supreme Court Threatens Campaign Finance Reform in NYC Morgan Pehme 2011

And yet that is precisely what appears on the cusp of occurring, if the Supreme Court rules as many legal experts predict in McComish v.

Morgan Pehme: Pulling the Trigger: U.S. Supreme Court Threatens Campaign Finance Reform in NYC Morgan Pehme 2011

In an indication of just how relevant McComish is to the CFB, the New York City Law Department, which is responsible for all of the city's legal affairs including defending the Mayor and the City's agencies, has also joined the amicus brief, as have the New York City Council and the Public Advocate's Office.

Morgan Pehme: Pulling the Trigger: U.S. Supreme Court Threatens Campaign Finance Reform in NYC Morgan Pehme 2011

In an indication of just how relevant McComish is to the CFB, the New York City Law Department, which is responsible for all of the city's legal affairs including defending the Mayor and the City's agencies, has also joined the amicus brief, as have the New York City Council and the Public Advocate's Office.

Morgan Pehme: Pulling the Trigger: U.S. Supreme Court Threatens Campaign Finance Reform in NYC Morgan Pehme 2011

But in oral arguments in McComish, Justice Stephen Breyer made it clear that he believes that campaign finance reform is fundamentally in danger of being dealt "death by a thousand cuts."

Morgan Pehme: Pulling the Trigger: U.S. Supreme Court Threatens Campaign Finance Reform in NYC Morgan Pehme 2011

In an indication of just how relevant McComish is to the CFB, the New York City Law Department, which is responsible for all of the city's legal affairs including defending the Mayor and the City's agencies, has also joined the amicus brief, as have the New York City Council and the Public Advocate's Office.

Morgan Pehme: Pulling the Trigger: U.S. Supreme Court Threatens Campaign Finance Reform in NYC Morgan Pehme 2011

But in oral arguments in McComish, Justice Stephen Breyer made it clear that he believes that campaign finance reform is fundamentally in danger of being dealt "death by a thousand cuts."

Morgan Pehme: Pulling the Trigger: U.S. Supreme Court Threatens Campaign Finance Reform in NYC Morgan Pehme 2011