McComish v. Brewer (Roslyn O. Silver, D. Ariz. 2:08-cv-1550)
On August 21, 2008, candidates for office in Arizona filed a federal complaint challenging a campaign-finance provision that provided a benefit to candidates whose challengers exceeded statutory thresholds of expenditures. The suit was filed eight weeks after a Supreme Court decision invalidating a similar law. Reluctant to disrupt the finances of an ongoing campaign season, the district court denied immediate injunctive relief. After full litigation, the district court struck down the campaign-finance scheme, and the Supreme Court ultimately affirmed the district court’s ruling.
Subject: Campaign activities. Topics: Campaign finance; laches; attorney fees.
One of many Case Studies in Emergency Election Litigation.