Supreme Court strikes down Vermont campaign finance law.

[kpete]

Monday, June 26, 2006
Decisions: campaign finance limits nullified; five rulings overall
Posted by Lyle Denniston at 10:04 AM

The Supreme Court, in a splintered decision on Monday, struck down limits on campaign donations and campaign spending imposed by the state of Vermont. Justice Stephen G. Breyer announced that as the summary of the ruling in three consolidated cases. The vote was 6-3; the Court issued four opinions for the majority and two for the dissent The cases were Randall v. Sorrell, Vermont Republican Commiitte v. Sorrell and Sorrell v. Randall.

Dividing 5-4, the Court ruled that a state may constitutionally require the death penalty if mitigating and aggravating factors are in equal balance -- a decision that upheld Kansas' capital punishment scheme. Justice Clarence Thomas wrote the lead opinion. (Kansas v. Marsh.)

In another ruling written by Justice Thomas, the Court ruled that failure to submit a sentencing factor to a jury is not a "structural" error and thus will not always require reversal of a conviction. (Washington v. Recuenco.)

more at:
http://www.scotusblog.com/movabletype/archives/2006/06/decision_campai.html