The Particular Expertise of Congress

Followers of campaign finance law will recall that the Supreme Court upheld the McCain-Feingold law in part on its belief that it owed especially great deference to campaign statutes, an area where members of Congress had particular expertise.

From yesterday's Congressional Quarterly, we learn:

Despite reports he may run for another term in Congress, GOP Rep. Elton Gallegly, who announced his retirement last week, plans to pursue "both legislative and judicial options" for reopening the candidate filing period in his district, a spokesman said today. ... Gallegly had already filed his
candidacy before he announced two hours before last Friday's filing deadline that he would not seek re-election because of a health problem. Gallegly was unable to remove his name from the ballot, and little known Westlake Village attorney Michael Tenenbaum was the only other filed Republican. ... Gallegly has said he thought his retirement would allow officials to extend the filing deadline another five days. However, that provision in state law does not apply to congressional races.

Former GOP Assemblyman Tony Strickland ... attempted to file for Gallegly's seat, but his paperwork was denied because he had already filed to run for state controller.

Particular expertise, indeed. These guys may know how to campaign, but wouldn't know election law if it bit them in the proverbial behind.