Stephen Spaulding
@stevespaulding.bsky.social
Brennan Center at NYU Law | Used-to-be: Policy Director for Senator Amy Klobuchar + the Senate Rules Committee | VP @ Common Cause | Sr. Counsel to Representative Zoe Lofgren + House Admin Committee Dems | Special Counsel at the FEC | opinions are my own 🏳️🌈
Citizens United turns 16 years old tomorrow. A very not sweet 16.
Here are two of the most absurd quotes from the 5-4 decision.
Quote 1:
Here are two of the most absurd quotes from the 5-4 decision.
Quote 1:
January 20, 2026 at 11:35 PM
Citizens United turns 16 years old tomorrow. A very not sweet 16.
Here are two of the most absurd quotes from the 5-4 decision.
Quote 1:
Here are two of the most absurd quotes from the 5-4 decision.
Quote 1:
I think this needs a second edition.
January 19, 2026 at 5:50 PM
I think this needs a second edition.
Citizens United v. FEC (unleashing a floodgate of money in politics)
Shelby County v. Holder (gutting the Voting Rights Act)
Rucho v. Common Cause (slamming the courthouse doors shut to ending partisan gerrymandering)
Trump v. U.S. (presidential immunity)
All brought to you by the Roberts Court.
Shelby County v. Holder (gutting the Voting Rights Act)
Rucho v. Common Cause (slamming the courthouse doors shut to ending partisan gerrymandering)
Trump v. U.S. (presidential immunity)
All brought to you by the Roberts Court.
January 15, 2026 at 12:42 PM
Citizens United v. FEC (unleashing a floodgate of money in politics)
Shelby County v. Holder (gutting the Voting Rights Act)
Rucho v. Common Cause (slamming the courthouse doors shut to ending partisan gerrymandering)
Trump v. U.S. (presidential immunity)
All brought to you by the Roberts Court.
Shelby County v. Holder (gutting the Voting Rights Act)
Rucho v. Common Cause (slamming the courthouse doors shut to ending partisan gerrymandering)
Trump v. U.S. (presidential immunity)
All brought to you by the Roberts Court.
But have their bee colonies been corrupted by Citizens United?
December 30, 2025 at 9:30 PM
But have their bee colonies been corrupted by Citizens United?
And the Republicans’ lawyer makes very clear to Justice Jackson that his client could be back to challenge other campaign contribution limits.
December 18, 2025 at 1:27 AM
And the Republicans’ lawyer makes very clear to Justice Jackson that his client could be back to challenge other campaign contribution limits.
The aggregate limits being more than $1M a year.
December 18, 2025 at 1:23 AM
The aggregate limits being more than $1M a year.
And fyi the attorney for the Republican Senate campaign committee refused to say whether baseline party contribution limits are even constitutional.
December 18, 2025 at 1:22 AM
And fyi the attorney for the Republican Senate campaign committee refused to say whether baseline party contribution limits are even constitutional.
Catching up on SCOTUS arguments. Justice Sotomayor hits the nail on the head in this case that could further empower wealthy campaign donors to drown everyone else out.
“Every time we interfere with Congressional design, we make matters worse.”
See, e.g., Citizens United and McCutcheon.
“Every time we interfere with Congressional design, we make matters worse.”
See, e.g., Citizens United and McCutcheon.
December 18, 2025 at 1:03 AM
Catching up on SCOTUS arguments. Justice Sotomayor hits the nail on the head in this case that could further empower wealthy campaign donors to drown everyone else out.
“Every time we interfere with Congressional design, we make matters worse.”
See, e.g., Citizens United and McCutcheon.
“Every time we interfere with Congressional design, we make matters worse.”
See, e.g., Citizens United and McCutcheon.
Today I learned that Buckley v. Valeo -- which turns 50 years old next year -- is the longest Supreme Court opinion ever written. The majority, concurrences, and dissents are as long as the first Harry Potter book, courtesy @scotusblog.com
November 24, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Today I learned that Buckley v. Valeo -- which turns 50 years old next year -- is the longest Supreme Court opinion ever written. The majority, concurrences, and dissents are as long as the first Harry Potter book, courtesy @scotusblog.com
A lot going on in my notifications
November 21, 2025 at 10:27 PM
A lot going on in my notifications
Also this - there are real harms to people when Court gets the balance wrong with its rushed and truncated irreparable harm analysis. That's because the damage is done.
Example: People are fired. Funds are frozen. People are racially profiled. And on and on.
Example: People are fired. Funds are frozen. People are racially profiled. And on and on.
November 6, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Also this - there are real harms to people when Court gets the balance wrong with its rushed and truncated irreparable harm analysis. That's because the damage is done.
Example: People are fired. Funds are frozen. People are racially profiled. And on and on.
Example: People are fired. Funds are frozen. People are racially profiled. And on and on.
In a footnote Justice Jackson makes the whole case for how poorly SCOTUS is using its emergency a/k/a shadow docket. It is being used to "cavalierly pick the winners and losers," jeopardizes procedural fairness, and thwarts "the full legal process that our judicial system requires." 3/
November 6, 2025 at 9:50 PM
In a footnote Justice Jackson makes the whole case for how poorly SCOTUS is using its emergency a/k/a shadow docket. It is being used to "cavalierly pick the winners and losers," jeopardizes procedural fairness, and thwarts "the full legal process that our judicial system requires." 3/
eastern standard time in Shenandoah National Park this weekend 🍂
November 3, 2025 at 2:50 AM
eastern standard time in Shenandoah National Park this weekend 🍂
Spotted in Dupont Circle. And it’s true, trust in SCOTUS is hovering at record lows. 🪦🎃
October 31, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Spotted in Dupont Circle. And it’s true, trust in SCOTUS is hovering at record lows. 🪦🎃
For example, we've highlighted how Justices have criticized how the Court has been using the shadow docket to destabilize the law in ways it never should.
For example, from Justice Jackson's dissent in Trump v. AFGE: 6/
For example, from Justice Jackson's dissent in Trump v. AFGE: 6/
October 21, 2025 at 9:01 PM
For example, we've highlighted how Justices have criticized how the Court has been using the shadow docket to destabilize the law in ways it never should.
For example, from Justice Jackson's dissent in Trump v. AFGE: 6/
For example, from Justice Jackson's dissent in Trump v. AFGE: 6/
Judge Graber of the 9th Circuit with a stark message -- this is the case about the deployment of National Guard troops in Portland.
"Above all, I ask those who are watching this case unfold to retain faith in our judicial system for just a little longer." storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
"Above all, I ask those who are watching this case unfold to retain faith in our judicial system for just a little longer." storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
October 21, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Judge Graber of the 9th Circuit with a stark message -- this is the case about the deployment of National Guard troops in Portland.
"Above all, I ask those who are watching this case unfold to retain faith in our judicial system for just a little longer." storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
"Above all, I ask those who are watching this case unfold to retain faith in our judicial system for just a little longer." storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
🚨And Justice Jackson calls out the continued "grave misuse" of the emergency a/k/a shadow docket and its "repeated, gratuitous, and harmful interference in the lower courts while lives hang in the balance."
October 3, 2025 at 9:14 PM
🚨And Justice Jackson calls out the continued "grave misuse" of the emergency a/k/a shadow docket and its "repeated, gratuitous, and harmful interference in the lower courts while lives hang in the balance."
Another Friday, another shadow docket decision from SCOTUS. Note too Justice Kagan’s sharp critique of the Court barreling its way to a decision “with scant briefing, no oral argument, and no opportunity to deliberate in conference.”
September 26, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Another Friday, another shadow docket decision from SCOTUS. Note too Justice Kagan’s sharp critique of the Court barreling its way to a decision “with scant briefing, no oral argument, and no opportunity to deliberate in conference.”
September in DC
September 16, 2025 at 12:06 AM
September in DC
RFK - the elder - wrote some beautiful words that Ted Kennedy quoted when he gave his brother’s eulogy in 1968.
They are worth remembering in these times.
They are worth remembering in these times.
September 4, 2025 at 9:08 PM
RFK - the elder - wrote some beautiful words that Ted Kennedy quoted when he gave his brother’s eulogy in 1968.
They are worth remembering in these times.
They are worth remembering in these times.
The morning’s political newsletters were full of reporting on Senate GOP plans to go nuclear on changing the rules for confirming nominees.
Here are the latest stats on how the president’s nominees are faring, per @washingtonpost.com + @ourpublicservice.bsky.social stats—about on par with Biden.
Here are the latest stats on how the president’s nominees are faring, per @washingtonpost.com + @ourpublicservice.bsky.social stats—about on par with Biden.
September 2, 2025 at 4:09 PM
The morning’s political newsletters were full of reporting on Senate GOP plans to go nuclear on changing the rules for confirming nominees.
Here are the latest stats on how the president’s nominees are faring, per @washingtonpost.com + @ourpublicservice.bsky.social stats—about on par with Biden.
Here are the latest stats on how the president’s nominees are faring, per @washingtonpost.com + @ourpublicservice.bsky.social stats—about on par with Biden.
"Some days in late August at home are like this, the air thin and eager like this, with something in it sad and nostalgic and familiar..."—William Faulkner, The Sound and the Fury
August 31, 2025 at 7:44 PM
"Some days in late August at home are like this, the air thin and eager like this, with something in it sad and nostalgic and familiar..."—William Faulkner, The Sound and the Fury
A reminder that the Supreme Court went out of its way to signal special treatment for the Federal Reserve's removal protections in a brief shadow docket decision in May when it greenlit the firing of members of other independent agencies.
August 26, 2025 at 1:33 PM
A reminder that the Supreme Court went out of its way to signal special treatment for the Federal Reserve's removal protections in a brief shadow docket decision in May when it greenlit the firing of members of other independent agencies.