Narrow Application of Buckley v. Valeo: Is Campaign Finance Reform Possible in the Eighth Circuit, The

Authors

Matthew S. Criscimagna

Abstract

Federal campaign finance reform has been a hot topic as of late, from the recent debates of the McCain-Feingold bill in Congress to the investigation of alleged violations in connection with the 1996 presidential election. The issue of campaign finance reform is of equal importance on the state level. A majority of states have been reforming their campaign finance laws since 1990.2 However, these reforms have not avoided constitutional challenges. The Eighth Circuit has been particularly harsh when reviewing challenges to state campaign finance reform. This has led to a limited number of alternatives for the states to employ when reforming their campaign finance laws.' The Eighth Circuit's decision in Russell v. Burris is another decision which solidifies the Eighth Circuit's stance on campaign finance reform and greatly reduces the available options for states.

Recommended Citation

Matthew S. Criscimagna, Narrow Application of Buckley v. Valeo: Is Campaign Finance Reform Possible in the Eighth Circuit, The, 64 Mo. L. Rev. (1999)
Available at: https://scholarship.law.missouri.edu/mlr/vol64/iss2/4