The New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission has issued its August newsletter. The newsletter discusses the role of public financing in New Jersey’s gubernatorial election, trends on independent spending by outside groups and fundraising by the “Big Six” Committees in the second quarter of 2013. The newsletter also discusses the pending appeal in Wagner v. Federal Election Commission (a challenge to the long-standing federal contractor ban) and the impact that the ultimate decision in that case may have on New Jersey’s own pay-to-play laws.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (DC) is scheduled to hear oral arguments in Wagner v. FEC on Monday, September 30, 2013.