The League of Women Voters of Falls Church is hosting a National Issues Forum called “Assessing the Relationship Between Money in Politics and Free Speech Under the First Amendment” on Sunday, Jan. 24 from 3 – 4:30 p.m. at the Falls Church Community Center at 223 Little Falls Street.

The keynote speaker will be Tara Malloy, deputy executive director of The Campaign Legal Center. Malloy litigates a wide range of campaign finance and election law cases in state and federal court, and has expertise in campaign finance, lobbying, and congressional ethics issues.

She has also spoken at conferences and events nationwide on election law and has appeared as a legal expert on various news programs, including on MSNBC, PBS and NPR. The forum will explore whether all or some political activity should constitute free speech protected under the First Amendment in contrast to recent Supreme Court’s rulings to allow unlimited spending in candidate elections that entirely discount any danger from undue influence other than quid pro quo corruption.

The Falls Church League of Women Voters is joining with other Leagues around the country in a national study to update the League’s position on money in politics in light of recent Supreme Court decisions that have changed campaign finance laws significantly. The public is invited to participate to help shape the discussion around that topic. For more information, visit lwvfallschurch.org.