Amicus Brief Commentary
Americans for Prosperity Foundation releases summary of engagement for Supreme Court October 2023 term
Arlington, VA – Americans for Prosperity Foundation today released a report of its amicus engagement during the October 2023 Supreme Court term. AFPF Chief Policy Counsel James Valvo said: This term the Supreme Court upheld protections for free expression, ruling the government cannot coerce companies to stop doing business with organizations based on their speech. The…
Read MoreHave you heard of these cases before the Supreme Court? Here’s why they should matter to you
UPDATE: On 5/30/2024, in a win for the First Amendment, the Supreme Court unanimously decided in NRA v. Vullo that government officials cannot pressure or otherwise coerce organizations to terminate certain business relationships when doing so infringes the First Amendment rights of the third party. This Supreme Court term has been full of high-profile cases.…
Read MoreCongress, not bureaucrats, should make federal criminal law
By Michael Pepson Would it surprise you to know that Congress has granted the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) unfettered power to write its own criminal code governing one-tenth of the land in the United States? A Nevada federal court ruled that Congress unconstitutionally transferred its legislative power to write crimes to the BLM. Last…
Read MoreFreelancing or free speech? California’s AB5 gets speaking professionals coming and going
Threats to free speech can be veiled as restrictions on economic activity. California’s AB5 is the latest example. Many people who don’t prefer traditional office environments have benefited from independent contracting. From freelance photographers to truckers to massage therapists, workers can find freedom in setting their own hours and being their own boss. California took…
Read MoreUnited States v. Pheasant: A Rare Bird That Might Be a Good Vehicle to Revive the Nondelegation Doctrine
Censorship by stealth: Can government officials censor speech by pressuring third parties to do it for them?
For this newsletter, I’m delighted to have Cindy Crawford, AFPF Senior Policy Counsel, take over to discuss censorship by stealth and two upcoming cases in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. – Casey UPDATE: On 5/30/2024, in a win for the First Amendment, the Supreme Court unanimously decided in NRA v. Vullo that government officials…
Read MoreThe Supreme Court can stop unelected bureaucrats and private corporations from imposing taxes
Americans for Prosperity Foundation recently filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in Consumers’ Research v. Federal Communications Commission, urging the Court to grant Consumers Research’s cert petition and enforce the Constitution’s system of checks and balances. At issue is the constitutionality of the Universal Service Fund, a social welfare program that subsidizes certain consumers’ telecommunications services at…
Read MoreCorner Post gives Supreme Court a chance to keep the courthouse doors open to new businesses harmed by stale, lawless regulations
by Michael Pepson Americans for Prosperity Foundation filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in Corner Post, Inc. v. The Federal Reserve, urging the Court to allow Corner Post’s challenge to a 2011 debit-fees regulation that Corner Post believes to be beyond the Board’s power. The question presented may seem dry: when does…
Read More303 Creative LLC v Elenis: The Biggest Supreme Court Free Speech Case You Might Not Have Heard About
A small independent website designer in Colorado is getting national attention. Why? The U.S. Supreme Court will hear a case next week about whether the government can force her to say something that goes against her personal beliefs. It’s one of the biggest free speech cases this Supreme Court term. And you may not have…
Read MoreTiwari v. Friedlander asks: Is depriving patients of medical services rational?
Commonplace in the market for medical services, certificate-of-need laws prohibit medical providers from practicing or expanding unless they can demonstrate not only “need” for their proposed services but also survive a bureaucratic gauntlet that can take years, cost thousands of dollars, and allow competitors — existing and potential — to challenge the application. The result…
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