Capitol Watch Session Preview
IN THIS ISSUE:
Editor’s Corner
Environmental Update
U.S. Supreme Court Opens Door to Corporate, Trade Association and Union Involvement in Political Campaigns
In the case of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, a sharply divided U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that corporations, trade associations and unions are on equal footing with individuals when it comes to advocating for or against federal candidates for election. Previously, spending for contested elections was restricted to regulated political committees, though spending on non-partisan issue campaigns was allowed for corporations and other groups. The Supreme Court ruling does not invalidate the ban on direct contributions to candidates themselves by business and union organizations. Nor can such spending be coordinated with a candidate but instead must be pursued independently. The effect of the Court’s ruling on Minnesota’s state election process is unknown, but many Minnesota-based organizations already are gearing up for the upcoming November elections. Continue
Home Warranty Task Force Recommends Fix
Amidst the wreckage of last year’s end-of-session skirmishing over budget-balancing legislation, multiple bills dealing with Minnesota’s residential construction industry were approved by the DFL-controlled legislature, but then vetoed by Governor Tim Pawlenty. Of the six bills under consideration, only one relating to warranty disclosures was signed by the governor; the rest were deemed unnecessary, burdensome or counterproductive. The residential construction industry resisted the legislation during the legislative hearing process, but in the end, it took the governor’s veto pen to fend off an avalanche of new legislation which would have exposed the housing industry to more litigation and significantly higher costs, including attorneys fees in some cases. Continue
Peter J. Coyle
Peder A. Larson
Marnie S. Moore
Julie L. Perrus
Gerald L. Seck
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