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Senior Fellow Emeritus
William A. Schambra is senior fellow emeritus at Hudson Institute.
Assistant Professor of Law, George Mason University
Legal Director of the Bolder Advocacy Initiative, Alliance for Justice
President, Center for Lobbying in the Public Interest
President, Common Cause
When the Supreme Court handed down its long-awaited decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission on January 21, President Barack Obama warned that it gave a "green light to a new stampede of special interest money in our politics. It is a major victory for big oil, Wall Street banks, health insurance companies and the other powerful interests that marshal their power every day in Washington to drown out the voice of everyday Americans." Other observers claimed that the decision simply opened the door for greater participation by a wider variety of parties in the exercise of their First Amendment rights.
However clear its implications for business corporations and unions, though, a more difficult question is, what bearing does Citizens United have on nonprofits? While 501(c)(4) organizations (of which Citizens United is one) clearly benefit from the enlargement of permitted electoral activities, is it likely that similar latitude will soon follow for 501(c)(3) nonprofits? Should nonprofits push back against the enlargement of corporate prerogatives, push forward for the expansion of their own prerogatives, or some combination of these activities?
On Tuesday, February 16, Hudson Institute's Bradley Center, along with the Alliance for Justice (AFJ), the Center for Lobbying in the Public Interest (CLPI), and OMB Watch, brought together a panel of experts to discuss these and other questions. The Bradley Center's William Schambra moderated the discussion.
Please join Hudson Senior Fellow and Director of the Keystone Defense Initiative Rebeccah Heinrichs for a conversation with Senators Risch and Wicker on US support for Ukraine’s defense on Wednesday, March 29, at 4:00 p.m. A reception will follow.
Please join Hudson Institute for a discussion with Israel's Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology Ofir Akunis and Executive Director of the Abraham Accords Peace Institute Robert Greenway, moderated by Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East Director Michael Doran.
Please join Hudson Institute to discuss what has gone wrong with US policy toward Venezuela and how the Biden administration and 118th Congress can reinvigorate efforts to support democracy so that all Venezuelans can have a brighter future.