Buckley v. Valeo

Sam yanks Toby into the hallway, thrusting Buckley v. Valeo forward like a concealed blade amid the Mural Room's cultural inferno. The 1976 Supreme Court ruling hangs in the air, dissected with surgical precision: its loophole unleashes issue ads that slither past restrictions by dodging magic words of express advocacy—'vote for' or 'defeat'—Toby's jaw clenches against the pragmatic assault, frustration etching deeper as the precedent reshapes the battlefield.

2 appearances

Purpose

Creates legal loophole permitting 'issue ads' that evade federal election restrictions by avoiding 'magic words' expressly advocating a candidate's election or defeat

Significance

Ignites Sam's abrupt pivot from NEA art scandals to ruthless campaign tactics, fracturing Toby's idealism against realpolitik's edge and arming the West Wing against smears in a surge of strategic cunning

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

2 moments

S3E6 · Gone Quiet

Tawny Scorches NEA Mission; Toby's Fiery Defense Exposes Ideological Rift

Sam invokes the 1976 U.S. Supreme Court ruling post-interruption, wielding its 'magic words' loophole—express advocacy terms like 'elect' or 'defeat'—to justify unregulated issue ads in soft-money strategy, yanking debate from cultural policy to electoral pragmatism and exposing White House tensions.

Before: Abstract legal precedent, known but dormant in context

After: Activated as tactical weapon in hallway discussion

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S3E6 · Gone Quiet

Sam Interrupts NEA Clash to Unveil Buckley v. Valeo Loophole

Buckley v. Valeo is wielded by Sam as a pivotal Supreme Court precedent, its 'magic words' loophole dissected to reveal how issue ads evade federal restrictions by omitting express advocacy for candidate election or defeat, reframing the debate from NEA defense to campaign pragmatism.

Before: Legal precedent invoked in prior strategy discussions

After: Central to emerging White House counterstrategy against smears

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