US Campaign Finance Timeline Archives
US Campaign Finance Timeline

2/19/2013: Supreme Court granted certiorari in campaign finance case

11/7/2012: Colorado, Montana passed ballot measures seeking campaign finance reform

10/24/2012: Seventh Circuit allowed cap on campaign contributions for upcoming election

10/23/2012: Supreme Court rejected challenge of Montana political contribution limits

10/16/2012: Ninth Circuit allowed Montana campaign contribution limits for upcoming election

10/9/2012: Ninth Circuit reinstated Montana campaign finance law

10/3/2012: Federal judge struck down Montana campaign finance law

9/10/2012: Federal appeals court upheld Illinois campaign donor disclosure law

9/7/2012: West Virginia high court found public campaign financing law unconstitutional

8/3/2012: Sixth Circuit struck down Ohio law restricting doctors’ campaign contributions

8/3/2012: Nebraska Supreme Court struck down campaign finance law

6/28/2012: Federal appeals court reversed ruling that corporations can donate to campaigns

6/25/2012: Supreme Court struck down Montana campaign finance law

5/26/2012: Federal judge struck down ban on corporate donations to candidates

4/29/2010: Senate Democrats introduced bill to limit corporate campaign spending

1/28/2010: US President Barack Obama criticized Citizens United decision in State of the Union speech

1/21/2010: US Supreme Court eased corporate spending restrictions in Citizens United v. FEC

5/2/2003: US Supreme Court upheld Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act’s soft money ban in McConnell v. FEC

3/27/2002: Senator Mitch McConnell challenged constitutionality of Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act

3/27/2002: President George W. Bush signed Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act into law

1/30/1976: US Supreme Court decided case of Buckley v. Valeo

2/7/1972: Federal Election Campaign Act enacted

6/25/1910: The Publicity Act enacted

6/9/1906: The Tillman Act passed the Senate

THIS DAY @ LAW

11th Amendent to US Constitution ratified

On February 7, 1795, the 11th Amendment to the United States Constitution took effect with ratification by North Carolina. Adopted in the aftermath of the US Supreme Court's ruling in Chisholm v. Georgia, the amendment limited the jurisdiction of the federal courts to automatically hear cases brought against a state by the citizens of another state. Learn more about the meaning and history of the 11th Amendment from the National Constitution Center.

Maastricht Treaty signed, creating EU

On February 7, 1992, the Maastricht Treaty was signed by the members of the European Community, creating the European Union. Officially called the Treaty on the European Union, the original Maastricht Treaty went into force on November 1, 1993. The current Maastricht Treaty includes amendments from later EU treaties.