WASHINGTON – The Federal Election Commission will conduct a public hearing on Thursday October 20. The schedule of witnesses appears below.

The Commission is considering changes to its rule defining "electioneering communications" consistent with the ruling of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in Shays v. FEC. The proposed rule would modify the definition of the term "publicly distributed." The FEC is also reexamining the exemptions to the definition of electioneering communications that were incorporated in the original regulations implementing the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act.

Public Hearing on Electioneering Communications

Schedule of Witnesses

October 20, 2005

9:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.              Opening Remarks

9:45 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.            Panel 1

• Robert F. Bauer, Perkins Coie LLP
• Karl J. Sandstrom, Perkins Coie LLP, on behalf of OMB Watch
• Donald J. Simon, Sonosky, Chambers, Sachse, Endreson & Perry, LLC, on behalf of Democracy 21

11:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.          Break

11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.            Panel 2

• Frances R. Hill, Professor of Law and Director, Graduate Program in Taxation, University of Miami School of Law
• Elizabeth Kingsley, Harmon, Curran, Spielberg & Eisenberg LLP
• Tim Mooney, Senior Counsel, Alliance for Justice
• Paul S. Ryan, Counsel, Campaign Legal Center

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