{"argument_date":"2003-03-25T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2003-03-25T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2002","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-403.pdf","paragraphs":["Paul Clement argued that direct cash transfers to candidates create unique risks of corruption.","He stated that such transfers interfere less with First Amendment values than other forms of spending.","John Bopp countered that expressive associations are vital to the democratic republic.","He emphasized the importance of protecting the rights of these political groups."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 35-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-403.pdf","page_label":"file page 19, lines 35-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-403.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-403.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 45, lines 3-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-403.pdf","page_label":"file page 45, lines 3-7"}]}],"caption":"Federal Election Comm'n v. Beaumont","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:31.207242Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether national party committees may transfer cash directly to candidates.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 35-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-403.pdf","page_label":"file page 19, lines 35-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-403.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-27"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2003-03-25T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2002","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/02-403.html","primary_docket":"02-403","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T16:23:21.940352Z","maturity":"official_transcript","revision_number":1},{"correction_note":"Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.","created_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z","maturity":"official_transcript","revision_number":2}],"schema_version":"1.1","sections":[{"heading":"What this case is about","paragraphs":["The Federal Election Commission seeks to enforce a ban on direct cash transfers from party committees to candidates. Christine Beaumont argues this ban violates the First Amendment rights of expressive associations."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 35-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-403.pdf","page_label":"file page 19, lines 35-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-403.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-27"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on March 25, 2003."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-403.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["The Federal Election Commission wants the Court to uphold the ban on direct cash transfers from party committees to candidates.","Christine Beaumont wants the Court to strike down the ban on direct cash transfers from party committees to candidates."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 35-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-403.pdf","page_label":"file page 19, lines 35-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-403.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-27"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["Paul Clement argues that direct cash transfers to candidates pose unique risks of corruption and threaten democratic integrity.","John Bopp argues that expressive associations play a vital role in the democratic republic and deserve First Amendment protection."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 35-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-403.pdf","page_label":"file page 19, lines 35-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-403.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-27"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Chief Justice Rehnquist asked if the case was submitted after the arguments concluded."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 45, lines 3-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-403.pdf","page_label":"file page 45, lines 3-7"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case determines whether national party committees can give cash directly to candidates. It defines the boundary between permissible political spending and prohibited contributions. The outcome shapes the structure of modern political fundraising and party organization."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 35-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-403.pdf","page_label":"file page 19, lines 35-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-403.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-27"}]},{"heading":"What happens next","paragraphs":["This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-403.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 45, lines 3-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-403.pdf","page_label":"file page 45, lines 3-7"}]}],"slug":"2002-02-403-federal-election-comm-n-v-beaumont","term":"2002","title":"Can the government ban party committees from giving cash to candidates?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 35-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-403.pdf","page_label":"file page 19, lines 35-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-403.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-27"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}