Supreme Court Restores FCC Broadcast Discount Rates for Party Committees on Jurisdictional Grounds
The Supreme Court's September 4 emergency stay reinstated FCC guidance allowing political party committees to claim discounted broadcast advertising rates during the 60-day pre-election window, reversing a Fourth Circuit ruling on the narrow basis that the lower court likely acted before it had statutory jurisdiction. The decision does not settle whether the Communications Act actually entitles party committees or joint fundraising committees to lowest-unit-charge rates, leaving that question open for further proceedings. For the NRCC and NRSC, which had reserved $10.8 million in September television advertising across 23 House races, the stay prevents broadcasters from withdrawing the favorable rates while the legal dispute continues.