Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett eerily quiet in case about JD Vance that could upend campaign finance in midterms

WASHINGTON — Conservative Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett were uncharacteristically mum during arguments in a blockbuster case revolving around Vice President JD Vance that could upend campaign finance in the midterm elections.The two justices kept their cards close to the vest when examining a constitutional challenge against limits on coordinated spending between political parties and their preferred candidates, rendering it difficult to glean which way the high court was leaning.“The coordinated spending limits range from $60,000 to $4 million, depending on the race and location,” Noel Francisco, an attorney for the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), argued.

“That makes no sense if what you’re concerned about is bribery; even a Senate candidate in California could be bribed for $4 million,” he added.“But it makes perfect sense if what you’re trying to do is limit the overall amount of money in politics.

That, however, is what this court has repeatedly said is verboten.”Tuesday’s hearing is one of the most consequential campaign finance cases to come before the high court since Citizens United v.FEC, which struck down limits on political spending by corporations due to free speech violations.Back in 2022, Vance, the NRSC, National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) and then-Rep.

Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) sued the Federal Election Commission over rules restricting coordination between candidates and the party apparatus under the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA).While the Supreme Court’s 2001 FEC v.Colorado Republican Federal Campaign Committee decision upheld FECA, the plaintiffs argued that jurisprudence had changed, particularly with the rise of super PACs.“The super PAC can’t be coordinated.

And these party expenditures can be coordinated so they’re more helpful to the candidate,” liberal Justice Elena Kagan stressed during arguments.“They effectively function as contribut...