University of South Carolina Judicial Politics Expert Can Discuss U.S. Supreme Court Ruling on Election Laws

COLUMBIA, S.C., Jan. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Supreme Court's decision Thursday, Jan. 21, to overturn longstanding rules and limits on how corporations and unions can spend money on political campaigns could impact the 2010 mid-term elections.

Dr. Kirk Randazzo, an assistant professor of political science at the University of South Carolina, is an international authority on law and judicial politics and is available to discuss the U.S. Supreme Court decision with national media. Randazzo said he expects floodgates to open for corporate spending and heated public debate.

"The majority opinion in this case overturns portions of two previous precedents to restrict the influence of money on federal elections," Randazzo said. "Essentially, the Supreme Court has opened the doors (and perhaps floodgates) for corporations and unions to spend large sums of money on specific elections; targeting individual candidates either in support or opposition and airing political ads on television right up to election time. With the midterm elections coming in November and with the politically polarized environment across the country, one can (and should) expect an explosion of commercials from all sides."

Randazzo's research is published widely in top journals. He has written articles on the determinants of judicial decision-making, the influence of strategic considerations among federal judges, the effects of statutory language on judicial behavior and comparative judicial politics.

His book, "Defenders of Liberty or Champions of Security? Federal Courts, the Hierarchy of Justice, and U.S. Foreign Policy," was released by SUNY Press in 2009. In it, Randazzo examines the inherent tensions confronting federal judges when they resolve civil-liberties challenges to

foreign-policy cases.

To interview Randazzo, contact Peggy Binette in the Office of Media Relations at the University of South Carolina, at 803-777-5400 or via e-mail at [email protected].

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SOURCE University of South Carolina