Independence Institute v. Federal Election Commission

admin Constitutional Law, Election Law, U. S. Supreme Court

Today we filed an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to review an appeal filed by the Independent Institute challenging the disclosure requirements imposed by the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (“BCRA”) as applied to genuine issue ads.  BCRA compels the disclosure of donors to such ads over $1,000, with substantial civil and criminal penalties for failure to report this information Read More

Lund v. Rowan County

admin Constitutional Law, U. S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit

Today we filed a brief in support of the practice by the Rowan County Board of Commissioners to begin sessions with prayer. Predictably, the plaintiffs are deeply offended to hear the name of God mentioned, but their subjective feelings does not cause the public prayer by government officials to be transformed into a prohibited “establishment” of religion.

Link to brief

Comments filed with FDA regarding new “Draft Guidance” about Dietary Supplements

admin Administrative Law, Health Law

Today, our firm filed comments with the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”), criticizing various parts of the FDA’s new “Draft Guidance” with respect to dietary supplements.

First, we noted that while federal law requires that manufacturers dietary supplements give “notice” to the FDA before they introduce a “new dietary ingredient” into the marketplace. The FDA, however, has adopted Read More

Alabama Chief Justice Roy S. Moore v. Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission

admin Alabama Supreme Court, Constitutional Law

The Alabama Court of the Judiciary removed Roy S. Moore, the elected Chief Justice of the State of Alabama, based on spurious grounds related to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Obergefell decision in favor of same sex marriage.  Today, we filed a brief in support of the Chief Justice’s appeal of that decision to the Alabama Supreme Court.

In our 55-page brief, in addition to other issues, our Read More

Comments filed with U.S. Citizenship & immigration Services Opposing New Refugee Application

admin Administrative Law

Today, our firm filed comments with the division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security responsible for Refugee matters, opposing changes in the form used to seek refugee status. If changed as proposed, the form will fail to obtain from applicants the information needed for the government to make a proper determination as to whether a person claiming refugee status actually qualifies as a refugee Read More

Comments to FDA on Regulatory Status of Vinpocetine

admin Administrative Law, Health Law

Today our firm filed comments with the FDA in response to a request for comment on its “tentative conclusion” that the ingredient vinpocetine does not meet the definition of a “dietary supplement.” Our comments explained that vinpocetine fits within the definition of “dietary supplement” as a “constituent of a botanical.” Then we analyzed the four Read More

Graham v. United States

admin Constitutional Law, U. S. Supreme Court

Today our firm filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in support of a petition for certiorari in a case involving a Fourth Amendment violation where a person’s whereabouts were tracked for months by seizing his cell site location information. We argued against the Supreme Court’s “third-party doctrine,” which holds that a person does not have a “reasonable Read More

Comments filed with FDA to Defend Compounding Pharmacists

admin Administrative Law, Health Law

An FDA Advisory Committee is considering imposing new and unnecessary limitations on what Compounding Pharmacists may use to create products that are needed by many people, especially seniors.  Remarkably, the FDA Advisory Committee is reported to have only one member who has experience with Compounding.  We filed comments for The Senior Citizens League and the Center for Medical Freedom with Read More

GOA/GOF Comments to ATF on Proposed Changes to Form 7

admin Firearms Law

Today, our firm filed comments with the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (“ATF”) in response to the ATF’s proposal to combine the federal application to be a firearms dealer (“Form 7”) with the application to be a Collector of Curios and Relics.  As our comments pointed out, ATF’s proposed new combined form is an attempt to combine apples and oranges.  Dealers (businesses) Read More

FSC/FSDEF Comments Urging IRS to Protect Nonprofit Donor Lists

admin Administrative Law, Nonprofit Law

On behalf of the Free Speech Coalition and Free Speech Defense and Education Fund, we submitted comments to the IRS asking it to protect the confidentiality the donor lists of nonprofit organizations.  The IRS had invited comments on its Publication 1075 relating to security guidelines for government agencies in possession of confidential tax
information.

Our comments explained how the California Read More

USJF Comments opposing Mandatory Pro Bono Reporting

admin Administrative Law

There is an effort underway by elements in the federal and state judiciary and leftist lawyers and lawyer groups to increase political controls over lawyers — on whom the American people rely on to protect their interests.  Some states are trying to force lawyers to devote free legal services to favored classes of persons.   Historically, this proposal has been a cover for the misuse of Read More

Article: “Manuel v. Joliet: Blocking the Courthouse Door to Victims of Police Misconduct”

admin Publications

This morning, the American Thinker published Jeremiah Morgan’s article about the amicus brief we filed in Manuel v. City of Joliet.  The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral argument in this case on Wednesday, October 5.  The article explains why victims of police misconduct should be able to bring a Fourth Amendment based suit when police fabricate evidence to obtain an indictment.

Read More

Book: ‘Defining Drugs: How Government Became the Arbiter of Pharmaceutical Fact”

admin Administrative Law, Health Law, Publications

Bill Olson was honored to write the Foreword for the re-issuance of what may prove to be the most important book ever written questioning the authority of the federal government over the sale and use of pharmaceuticals.  Professor of Pharmacy Richard Henry Parrish II originally wrote his book, “Defining Drugs:  How Government Became the Arbiter of Pharmaceutical Fact” in 2003. Now Read More

FEC Conciliation Agreement Modified

admin Election Law

We were pleased to have persuaded the FEC to act unanimously to modify a Conciliation Agreement entered into in 2005.  The reason was that the state of election law had changed, based on recent court rulings, which then were followed by changes in Commission regulations.

This may be only the second or third time such a modification has been approved by the FEC.  We believe that the last time it Read More

FSC Letter to Congressman Fleming Supporting Impeachment of Koskinen

admin Nonprofit Law

Today, on behalf of the Free Speech Coalition, we sent a letter to Congressman John C. Fleming, M.D., expressing the Free Speech Coalition’s support for H.Res. 828, the House’s impeachment of IRS Commissioner John Koskinen.

In addition to supporting impeachment for his malfeasance in concealing the nefarious deeds of Lois Lerner, our letter explains his nonfeasance in failing to protect Read More

Legal Policy Paper: The Constitutional Case for an Interstate Border Compact

admin Publications

Today, we authored a paper entitled “The Constitutional Case for an Interstate Border Compact” for the United States Justice Foundation.  Even though President Obama is hostile to national immigration law, the states could step in and take the lead.  One way that they could assume this responsibility is entering into an “interstate border compact” as authorized by the U.S. Read More

GOA/GOF Comments to ATF on Proposed Changes to Form 4473

admin Administrative Law, Firearms Law

Today our firm filed comments on behalf of Gun Owners of America, Inc. and Gun Owners Foundation opposing the proposed changes to the Form 4473, a form ATF claims continues to be necessary, though it is not required by any federal law.

Our comments explain how the proposed additions to the Form 4473 are unnecessarily confusing and often unauthorized.  The form is already complex, presenting a legal Read More

GOA/GOF Comments to ATF on Secure Gun Storage

admin Administrative Law, Firearms Law

Today our firm filed comments on behalf of Gun Owners of America, Inc. and Gun Owners Foundation opposing proposed regulations issued by ATF to require not only firearms dealers, but also manufacturers and importers, to certify that secure gun storage or safety devices are maintained anywhere firearms are sold.

Our comments explain how ATF’s proposed regulations would purportedly “implement” Read More

Grace v. District of Columbia

admin Firearms Law, U. S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit

Today, we filed a brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in support of a challenge to the D.C. Concealed Carry statute which was brought by Matthew Grace and others.  Our brief argues that the District of Columbia Council based its argument on the notion of hidden exceptions to the Bill of Rights, and a flawed understanding of the difference between the restricted nature Read More