What We Do
Filing Suit on Behalf of Third-Party Candidates and Voters Challenging the Commission on Presidential Debates' Partisan Conduct
NVRI has filed suit against the FEC on behalf of an unusual coalition of candidates and third-parties, claiming that the FEC wrongfully dismissed their complaint against the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD).† The suit argues that the CPD is partisan and, under federal law, should not be allowed to use large sums of corporate funding to benefit Democratic and Republican parties and candidates.† The legal action, filed on May 5, 2004, was brought on behalf Pat Buchanan, Ralph Nader, John Hagelin, Winona LaDuke, the Green Party of the United States, and the Constitution Party.
The suit stems from a complaint that these plaintiffs filed with the Federal Elections Commission in June 2003 charging the CPD with violating federal law, which requires that it be non-partisan in order to sponsor the debates.† The plaintiffs highlighted the CPD's use of a "face book" to keep third-party candidates from even attending the 2000 debates as evidence of the CPD's partisan nature.† The FEC dismissed the complaint on March 18, and the plaintiffs, also represented by Boston attorney Jason Adkins of Akdins, Kelston and Zavez, PC, and Lynne Bernabei and Alan Kabat, of the D.C. law firm Bernabei & Katz, PLLC, now are suing the agency in federal court for wrongfully dismissing the case., now are suing the agency in federal court for wrongfully dismissing the case.
Click on the links below to access the complaint and exhibits.
- Plaintiffs' Summary Judgment Motion (filed June 15, 2004) (pdf)
- Plaintiffs' Summary Judgment Exhibits 1-3 (pdf)
- Plaintiffs' Summary Judgment Exhibits 4-10 (pdf)
- Wrongful Dismissal Complaint Against the FEC (filed May 5, 2004) (pdf)
- Exhibits to Wrongful Dismissal Complaint Against the FEC (pdf)
Challenging Barriers:
- Filing Suit on Behalf of Third-Party Candidates and Voters Challenging the Commission on Presidential Debates' Partisan Conduct
- Preventing Corporate Domination of the Political Process
- Challenging Hard Money Contribution Limit Increases in McCain-Feingold
- Protecting Public Access to FEC Enforcement Files
- Taking on "Secret Justice" in Texas
- Protecting the Internet as a Tool for Political Association
- Forcing Investigation into Allegations of Illegal Campaign Activity by Ashcroft 2000
- Filing Suit on Behalf of Latino Citizens in MA
- Challenging Illegal Candidate Filing Fees in PA
- Challenging Corporate Funding of Presidential Debates
- Fighting for State Responsibility for Discrimination by Public Facility Operators
- Exposing the Harmful Effects of Increased Contribution Limits in GA on Minorities