The Lacuna Project

lacuna (n.) a gap in a record where something should be

Independent research. Not affiliated with any government, agency, or company.

Court

U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit

Findings that rest on exhibits naming this entity

  • REL-4.8: On 7 July 2025 the IRS and the plaintiffs in National Religious Broadcasters v. Long jointly asked a federal court to declare that a house of worship speaking to its congregation through its customary channels on matters of faith, in connection with religious services, does not participate or intervene in a political campaign under 26 U.S.C. ยง 501(c)(3). On 31 March 2026 the court dismissed the case without prejudice for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction, without reaching the merits, and the plaintiffs noticed an appeal on 22 April 2026.
  • POL-5.1: In Citizens United (2010) the Supreme Court held, 5 to 4, that independent expenditures by corporations do not give rise to corruption or its appearance, and held, 8 to 1, that the disclaimer and disclosure requirements of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act are constitutional. In SpeechNow.org v. FEC (D.C. Circuit, en banc, 26 March 2010) the court held that contributions to groups making only independent expenditures cannot be limited and upheld the registration and reporting requirements for those groups.
  • POL-5.10: The D.C. Circuit held on 21 August 2020 that 11 CFR 109.10(e)(1)(vi), which limited disclosure of donors to independent expenditures to donations earmarked for a specific expenditure, conflicts with the statute. In Van Hollen v. FEC the district court held 11 CFR 104.20(c)(9), a purpose-based limit on electioneering-communication donor disclosure, contrary to the statute in 2012 and 2014, and the D.C. Circuit reversed on 18 September 2012 and 21 January 2016 and upheld the regulation.

Exhibits naming this entity

  • Exhibit 437 12 May 2000. U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit: Branch Ministries v. Rossotti, 211 F.3d 137 (D.C. Cir.)
  • Exhibit 896 26 March 2010. U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit: SpeechNow.org v. FEC, 599 F.3d 686 (D.C. Cir. en banc)
  • Exhibit 897 26 March 2010. U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit: SpeechNow.org v. FEC, contribution-limit holding
  • Exhibit 899 1 February 2016. Federal Election Commission: FEC Record: Van Hollen v. FEC (Appeals court 2016)
  • Exhibit 901 21 August 2020. U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit: Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington v. FEC, No. 18-5261, 971 F.3d 340