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John Samples
Director, Center for Representative Government
John Samples directs Cato's Center for Representative Government, which studies campaign finance regulation, delegation of legislative authority, term limits, and the political culture of limited government and the civic virtues necessary for liberty. He is an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University. Samples is the author of The Struggle to Limit Government: A Modern Political History (forthcoming) and The Fallacy of Campaign Finance Reform. Prior to joining Cato, Samples served eight years as director of Georgetown University Press, and before that, as vice president of the Twentieth Century Fund. He has published scholarly articles in Society, History of Political Thought, and Telos. Samples has also been featured in mainstream publications like USA Today, the New York Times, and the Los Angeles Times. He has appeared on NPR, Fox News Channel, and MSNBC. Samples received his Ph.D. in political science from Rutgers University.
Media Contact: 202-789-5200
To Book a Speaking Engagement: 202-789-5226
E-Mail: jsamples@cato.org
Books and Book Chapters
"The Delegation of Legislative Powers," Chapter 7 of the Cato Handbook for Policymakers, 7th edition.
"Term Limits," Chapter 8 of the Cato Handbook for Policymakers, 7th edition.
"Campaign Finance," Chapter 9 of the Cato Handbook for Policymakers, 7th edition.
The Fallacy Of Campaign Finance Reform, (2006)
The Marketplace Of Democracy: Electoral Competition and American Politics, coeditor (2006)
Cato Studies
"Lawless Policy: TARP as Congressional Failure," Policy Analysis no. 660, February 4, 2010.
"Broadcast Localism and the Lessons of the Fairness Doctrine," Policy Analysis no. 639, May 27, 2009.
"A Critique of the National Popular Vote," Policy Analysis no. 622, October 13, 2008.
"Three Myths about Voter Turnout in the United States," Policy Analysis no. 524, September 14, 2004.
"The Failures of Taxpayer Financing of Presidential Campaigns," Policy Analysis no. 500, November 25, 2003.
Opinion and Commentary
"Tea Partiers Shouldn't Date the GOP," Detroit News, February 4, 2010
"Free Speech for All," by John Samples and Ilya Shapiro, DC Examiner, January 21, 2010
"Let Millionaires Spend," by John Samples and Ilya Shapiro, New York Sun, June 27, 2008
"So Long, 'Campaign Reform'," New York Post, June 25, 2008
"What Sort of Country?," American Spectator (Online), June 18, 2008
Cato @ Liberty Blog Posts
"Poll Suggests Caution on Citizens United Response," March 9, 2010
"Discouraging Speech through Disclosure," March 5, 2010
"A Campaign Finance Lesson," February 24, 2010
"Democracy against Free Speech?," February 17, 2010
"Congress Goes After Citizens United," February 12, 2010
Events
"Campaign Finance after Citizens United: What Now?," February 2, 2010 [Capitol Hill Briefing]
"Not Invited to the Party: How the Demopublicans Have Rigged the System and Left Independents Out in the Cold," October 13, 2009 [Book Forum]
"Citizens United Redux: The First Amendment Vindicated?," September 8, 2009 [Policy Forum]
"What to Do about Self-Funded Campaigns ," April 21, 2008 [Capitol Hill Briefing]
"The End of Campaign Finance Reform?," August 2, 2007 [Capitol Hill Briefing]
Speeches and Testimony
"A Look at H.R. 1826 and the Public Financing of Congressional Campaigns," Congressional Testimony, July 30, 2009.
"House Bill 1028 Regarding the National Popular Vote," Congressional Testimony, October 18, 2007.
"An Evaluation of the Campaign Accountability Act of 2007," Congressional Testimony, April 18, 2007.
Multimedia
John Samples discusses the Obama's first year in office on Moroccan TV February 18, 2010 [Flash Video, 02:34]
"Lessig, Schumer and Citizens United" featuring John Samples, February 17, 2010 [Flash Audio, 12:51]
John Samples discusses Obama's first year in office on WSPD's The Brian Wilson Show February 12, 2010 [Flash Audio, 16:14]
John Samples discusses the Citizens United ruling on NHPR's The Exchange February 1, 2010 [Flash Audio, 48:55]
Cato scholars analyze President Obama's 2010 State of the Union. January 28, 2010 [Flash Video, 09:38]
Feeds for Cato events: 