Vannatta v. Keisling

899 F. Supp. 488, 1995 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12675, 1995 WL 518840
CourtDistrict Court, D. Oregon
DecidedJuly 13, 1995
DocketCiv. 94-1541-JO
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 899 F. Supp. 488 (Vannatta v. Keisling) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Oregon primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Vannatta v. Keisling, 899 F. Supp. 488, 1995 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12675, 1995 WL 518840 (D. Or. 1995).

Opinion

ROBERT E. JONES, District Judge:

This lawsuit involves a federal constitutional challenge to Ballot Measures 6 and 9 which amended the Oregon Constitution. This case is before the Court on Plaintiffs’ (# 9) and Defendants’ (# 25) Cross-Motions for Summary Judgment on the constitutionality of Measure 6, 1 as well as Plaintiffs’ *491 Motion to Strike (# 60), Motion for Leave to File an Additional Affidavit (# 61), and Motion for Leave to File a Second Amended Complaint (#57). 2

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

On November 8, 1994, Oregon voters passed Measure 6 which essentially limits the amount of campaign contributions that candidates may accept from out-of-district donors. The Measure is comprised of four sections:

(1) Section 1 allows candidates to “use or direct only contributions which originate from individuals who at the time of their donation were residents of the electoral district of the public office sought by the candidate * *
(2) where more than ten percent of a candidate’s total campaign funding is in violation of Section 1, Section 2 punishes the candidate by either (a) forcing the elected official to forfeit the office and to not hold a subsequent elected public office for a period equal to twice the tenure of the office sought, or (b) forbidding the unelected candidate from holding an elected public office for a period equal to twice the tenure of the office sought;
(3) Section 3 prohibits “qualified donors” (i.e., in-district residents) from contributing funds to a candidate on behalf of an out-of-district resident;
(4) Section 4 labels a violation of Section 3 as an “unclassified felony.”

Defs.’ Ex. A at 1. Entitled the “Freedom From Special Interests” initiative, Measure 6 is intended to prevent out-of-district individuals and organizations from buying influence in elections, thus allowing “ordinary people [to] secure their rightful control of their own government.” Id. at 2.

Several months after Measure 6 amended the Oregon Constitution, Plaintiffs Vannatta, Gill, and CTPFS attest that they attempted to make $100 contributions to an out-of-district candidate but were informed that their contributions could not be accepted as a result of Measure 6. In addition, Plaintiff Boehnke alleges that he wishes to solicit and spend funds from out-of-district contributors, but is forbidden to do so by Measure 6. Lastly, pursuant to Measure 6, Plaintiff Smith rejected an out-of-district contribution from Mr. Gill who sent $100 to help Mr. Smith recoup his 1994 campaign debt.

Plaintiffs argue that Measure 6 violates their rights under the United States Constitution. Therefore, pursuant to the Civil Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1983, and the Declaratory Judgment Act, 28 U.S.C. §§ 2201, 2202, Plaintiffs seek to enjoin Defendants from enforcing Measure 6, and request the Court to declare the Measure void as unconstitutional, respectively. All parties moved for summary judgment, and Plaintiffs also assert three additional motions.

DISCUSSION

1. Plaintiffs’ Preliminary Motions

Plaintiffs move to strike newspaper articles included in Defendants’ exhibits because they are inadmissible hearsay which may not be considered by a court on a motion for summary judgment. The articles discuss the amounts and effects of special interest contributions, and were offered by Defendants to show that out-of-district donors in fact pose a real threat to the campaign system. Because the articles are out-of-court statements offered to prove the truth of the facts asserted therein, and were neither made under oath nor subject to cross-examination, they are inadmissible hearsay. See, e.g., Horta v. Sullivan, 4 F.3d 2, 8 (1st Cir.1993) (court refused to consider hearsay newspaper account in exhibit form and asserted that “inadmissible evidence may not be considered”). Accordingly, Plaintiffs’ Motion to Strike (# 60) Defendants’ Exhibits A,- B, and C (attached to Defendants’ Reply) is GRANTED.

Plaintiff also moves to supplement the record with an additional affidavit from Plaintiff Boehnke, and to file a Second Amended *492 Complaint, both of which include allegations that Plaintiff Boehnke has solicited funds from out-of-district donors for his 1996 campaign. Plaintiffs’ Motion for Leave to File an Additional Affidavit (# 61) and Plaintiffs’ Motion for Leave to File a Second Amended Complaint (# 57) are GRANTED.

II. Cross-Motions for Summary Judgment

A. Standard

Summary judgment should be granted if there are no genuine issues of material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c). If the moving party shows that there are no genuine issues of material fact, the non-moving party must go beyond the pleadings and designate facts showing an issue for trial. Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322-23, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 2552-53, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986); Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 2510, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). A scintilla of evidence, or evidence that is merely colorable or not significantly probative, does not present a genuine issue of material fact. United Steelworkers of America v. Phelps Dodge Corp., 865 F.2d 1539, 1542 (9th Cir.1989), cert. denied, 493 U.S. 809, 110 S.Ct. 51, 107 L.Ed.2d 20 (1989).

The substantive law governing a claim determines whether a fact is material. Anderson, 477 U.S. at 248 (1986); T.W. Elec. Serv., Inc. v. Pacific Elec. Contractors Ass’n, 809 F.2d 626, 630 (9th Cir.1987). Reasonable doubts as to the existence of a material factual issue are resolved against the moving party. T.W. Elec. Serv. at 631. Inferences drawn from facts are viewed in the light most favorable to the non-moving party. Id. at 630-31.

Plaintiffs challenge Measure 6 under (1) the First Amendment, (2) the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment, (3) the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, (4) the Privileges and Immunities Clause of Article IV, and (5) the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution. Defendants respond by arguing that this Court lacks jurisdiction over Plaintiffs’ lawsuit and that Measure 6 is constitutional.

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Bluebook (online)
899 F. Supp. 488, 1995 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12675, 1995 WL 518840, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/vannatta-v-keisling-ord-1995.