Feingold vs. Free Speech

Wisconsin Right to Life deliberately ran ads urging Wisconsin residents to contact Sens. Kohl and Feingold, asking the Senators NOT to oppose Bush administration nominees to Federal Courts.

Since WRTL used 'corporate' funds to do this, rather than PAC funds, the ads were a violation of the McCain-Feingold Act--which is to say, the ads were an exercise of Free Speech.

Under the terms of McCain-Feingold, such ads COULD be run if they were "grassroots lobbying" ads--and WRTL claims that they were such.

The term "Grassroots Lobbying" should strike a bell--because our Congress is now being urged to restrict "Grassroots Lobbying" as well--not to mention re-establishing the "Fairness Doctrine" which forces broadcast media to run equal-time opposing viewpoints. Finally, both the FEC and Congress are being urged to regulate the blogosphere in a similar fashion.

All of this, of course, is merely "Incumbency Protection" dressed up. It remains to be seen whether Justices Thomas and Scalia are able to persuade the other members of the Court that McCain/Feingold is simply an un-Constitutional restriction on Free Speech (which it most certainly IS.)

Failing that, the pitchforks may have to emerge from the closets and appear at one of Feinie's next "listening sessions."