This law, like the first campaign finance law in 1975, has a clause to "accelerate the case on the dockets." It goes only to one trial court and then directly to the Supreme Court.
The case cannot be filed until the law actually goes into effect, which is 6 November, 2002. Then, expect it to take about six months from filing of the case in trial court, to final decision in the Supreme Court. That was the time frame for the first such challenge, Buckley v. Valeo, in 1976.
I was in on the planning sessions in New York City for that first case. I will be one of the counsel of record on this case. We are going to have this law struck down as unconstitutional. Here's how strongly I feel about it: If we do not get this law struck down, I will resign as a member of the Bar of the Supreme Court, and never set foot in its building again.
Congressman Billybob
In listening to McConnell, I got the impression legal action was imminent. Once the bill is law (i.e. when it is signed), can suit be filed, or does the filing have to be after Nov. 6, 2002? In other words, if Ted Olsen could seek injunctive relief before the law takes effect, then why can't an advocacy group do the same thing?
I am angry at Bush for saying he will sign this nonsense. Could it be that he is signing it knowing it will be struck down? Is that some Dicky Morris triangulation?