Institute for Free Speech
{{Short description|American nonprofit organization}}
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| name = Institute for Free Speech
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| formation = 2005
| founder = Bradley A. Smith
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| type = 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
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| purpose = "To defend the First Amendment right to freedom of speech, press, assembly, and petition."{{cite web |title=Your Rights {{!}} The Institute for Free Speech defends your First Amendment right to freedom of speech, press, assembly, and petition. |url=https://www.ifs.org/your-rights/ |website=Institute for Free Speech |access-date=6 April 2024}}{{cite web |title=Institute for Free Speech |url=https://www.desmog.com/institute-free-speech/ |website=DeSmog |access-date=6 April 2024}}{{cite web |title=Institute for Free Speech |url=https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/203676886 |website=Charity Navigator |access-date=6 April 2024}}
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| location = Washington, D.C.
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| region = United States
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| website = {{URL|http://www.ifs.org}}
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| formerly = Center for Competitive Politics
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}}
The Institute for Free Speech (IFS), formerly called the Center for Competitive Politics, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., that opposes campaign finance restrictions.{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Michelle Ye Hee |title=Senate confirms three FEC commissioners, restoring full slate for the first time since 2017 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/federal-election-commission-vote/2020/12/09/68584e22-3a3e-11eb-bc68-96af0daae728_story.html |access-date=17 March 2025 |work=The Washington Post |date=9 December 2020}} It has worked to oppose limits on political donations and other campaign regulations.{{Cite web |last=Beckel |first=Michael |date=2016-01-20 |title=What Is "'Dark Money' and Is It Bad? |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/what-dark-money-why-do-so-many-people-think-it-n499731 |access-date=2024-04-06 |website= |publisher=Center for Public Integrity |language=en |via=NBC News}}{{cite news |last1=Leathle |first1=Emma |date=November 1, 2017 |title=Congress Holds Hearings On Online Political Ads |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/congress-holds-hearings-on-online-political-ads_us_59f8d71fe4b0b7f0915f6273 |access-date=2 December 2017 |work=HuffPost |publisher=}}{{Cite web |last=Ackley |first=Kate |date=2022-09-21 |title=Senators to seek action on Democratic political disclosure bill |url=https://rollcall.com/2022/09/21/senators-to-seek-action-on-democratic-political-disclosure-bill/ |access-date=2024-04-07 |website=Roll Call |language=en-US}} IFS' stated mission is to "promote and defend the First Amendment rights to freely speak, assemble, publish, and petition the government through strategic litigation, communication, activism, training, research, and education."{{cite web |date=23 October 2007 |title=About the Institute for Free Speech |url=http://www.ifs.org/about/ |access-date=2 December 2017 |publisher=Institute for Free Speech}}
History
The Center for Competitive Politics was founded in 2005 by former Federal Election Commission Chairman Bradley A. Smith, a 2000 Clinton appointee who had been selected by congressional Republican leaders. Smith founded the organization with the goal of "challenging the current campaign finance system in both federal court and the court of public opinion."{{cite news |last1=Cummings |first1=Jeanne |date=2008-08-12 |title=Conservatives plot on campaign finance |url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12460.html |access-date=11 August 2014 |work=Politico |publisher=}}
The organization represented the plaintiffs in SpeechNow.org v. Federal Election Commission, Court of Appeals decision that authorized the creation of Super PACs in 2010.{{cite web |title=The Court Case That Led to the Creation of Super PACs |url=http://uspolitics.about.com/od/Money-In-Politics/fl/SpeechNoworg-v-Federal-Election-Commission.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819084332/http://uspolitics.about.com/od/Money-In-Politics/fl/SpeechNoworg-v-Federal-Election-Commission.htm |archive-date=2014-08-19 |access-date=2014-08-18 |website=About.com}}
In 2014, the organization challenged California's requirement that nonprofit groups must turn over their donor lists to the state in order to receive a license to solicit contributions from residents of the state.{{cite news |date=2014-07-22 |title=Give Us Your Donors, or Else |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/give-us-your-donors-or-else-1406070490 |access-date=11 August 2014 |work=The Wall Street Journal |publisher=}}
In 2014, the organization stated its opposition to a proposed constitutional amendment that would give Congress more power to regulate political spending.{{cite news |last1=Newlin Carney |first1=Eliza |date=2014-07-02 |title=Hobby Lobby Ruling Fuels Amendment Push |url=http://blogs.rollcall.com/beltway-insiders/hobby-lobby-ruling-fuels-amendment-push/?dcz= |access-date=11 August 2014 |work=Roll Call |publisher=}} It has also opposed proposed Internal Revenue Service guidelines that would redefine tax rules for social welfare organizations that engage in political advocacy as a secondary activity.{{cite news |last1=Hicks |first1=Josh |date=2014-06-18 |title=IRS to propose specific limits on nonprofits' political activities |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/federal_government/irs-to-propose-specific-limits-on-nonprofits-political-activities/2014/06/18/d362ecaa-f728-11e3-a606-946fd632f9f1_story.html |access-date=11 August 2014 |newspaper=Washington Post}}
In October 2017, the organization changed its name to the Institute for Free Speech, with an emphasis on "protecting First Amendment political speech rights".{{cite web |title=Welcome to The Institute for Free Speech {{!}} Your Rights: The Institute for Free Speech is here to defend your First Amendment rights |url=https://www.ifs.org/ |access-date=6 April 2024 |website=Institute for Free Speech |publisher=}}
Allen Dickerson, legal director of the institute, became a member of the Federal Election Commission in 2020, after being nominated by President Donald Trump and confirmed by a vote of 49 to 47 in the U.S. Senate.
Activities
The Institute for Free Speech represents plaintiffs in free speech cases.{{cite news |last1=Pazniokas |first1=Mark |title=Court explores whether CT’s campaign law violates free speech |url=https://ctmirror.org/2023/09/13/ct-citizens-election-program-lawsuit-dannel-malloy-mailer/ |access-date=8 April 2024 |work=The Connecticut Mirror |date=September 13, 2023}}{{cite web |title=Alexander et al v. Sutton et al |url=https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/52862340/Alexander_et_al_v_Sutton_et_al |website=pacermonitor.com |publisher=PacerMonitor, LLC |access-date=8 April 2024}}{{cite web |title=Belin v. Nelson |url=https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/52062725/Belin_v_Nelson |website=pacermonitor.com |publisher=PacerMonitor, LLC |access-date=8 April 2024}} It has been particularly active in criticizing campaign finance regulations, taxpayer-financed political campaigns, and restrictions on referendums and ballot initiatives. The organization publishes various studies and reports on campaign finance and political speech matters, and provides pro bono legal counsel to parties in suits challenging the constitutionality of campaign finance statutes. It has also defended the right of independent groups to participate freely in the electoral process.{{cite news |last1=Mahony |first1=Edmund |title=CT Supreme Court rules that state ban on some political ads infringes on political free speech |url=https://www.courant.com/2024/05/20/ct-supreme-court-rules-that-state-ban-on-some-political-ads-infringes-on-political-free-speech/ |access-date=24 May 2024 |work=Hartford Courant |date=20 May 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Mays |first1=Jeffery C. |title=Gays? Palestinians? Speaking Your Mind Can Spell Trouble on the City Council |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/23/nyregion/nyc-city-council-free-speech.html |access-date=24 May 2024 |work=The New York Times |date=23 April 2019}}
The organization has a Free Speech Arguments Podcast that reviews oral arguments from First Amendment free political speech cases across the country.
In 2024, the organization released a study of state laws regarding free speech protection against frivolous lawsuits.{{cite news |last1=Collins |first1=Ronald K.L. |title=Robert Post: ‘There is growing pessimism about the future of free speech in the United States’ — First Amendment News 407 {{!}} Institute for Free Speech report on frivolous lawsuits |url=https://www.thefire.org/news/blogs/ronald-kl-collins-first-amendment-news/robert-post-there-growing-pessimism-about-future |access-date=8 April 2024 |work=FIRE Newsdesk |publisher=Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression |date=January 10, 2024}}
In 2024, the IFS sued the FEC over the discrepancy whereby small donors to federal election campaigns utilizing conduits ActBlue or WinRed are automatically made public but same-sized donations directly to the campaign are not.{{cite news |last=Lee |first=Michelle Ye Hee |date=September 10, 2019 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/president-trumps-critics-are-weaponizing-information-about-his-donors-raising-concerns-about-federal-donor-disclosure-requirements/2019/09/10/b0b60ff8-cfe4-11e9-87fa-8501a456c003_story.html |title=Trump's critics are targeting his donors, sparking fears of a backlash against disclosure |work=Washtington Post |access-date=January 28, 2024}} The suit seeks to afford the same level of anonymity to the small-donor conduit contributors.{{cite news |last1=Byrnes |first1=Dave |title=Small-dollar donors sue FEC over disclosure rules |url=https://www.courthousenews.com/small-dollar-donors-sue-fec-over-disclosure-rules/ |access-date=17 March 2025 |work=www.courthousenews.com |date=July 11, 2024}}
References
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External links
- {{official website|http://www.ifs.org}}
- [http://nccsweb.urban.org/communityplatform/nccs/organization/profile/id/203676886/popup/1 Organizational Profile] – National Center for Charitable Statistics (Urban Institute)
Category:Non-profit organizations based in Alexandria, Virginia