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MONEYBOMB: JD Vance’s Supreme Court Plot | Lever Time - YouTube

2,510 views Oct 22, 2025 Lever Time

Most Americans want to overturn Citizens United v. FEC, the landmark 2010 Supreme Court decision that unleashed unlimited corporate spending on U.S. elections. But two new cases before the high court — including one spearheaded by now-Vice President JD Vance — are instead set to expand that ruling and turn America into a kleptocracy. For the next several episodes of Lever Time, we’re taking a deep dive into Citizens United and how it’s transformed our lives. In this first episode, David Sirota uncovers conservatives’ plan to deregulate the campaign finance system, their efforts to legalize bribery, and what options we have to stop them.

9:54

after the Trump administration bailed on

9:56

defending current law, who did the US

9:59

Supreme Court assign to defend the last

10:01

remaining threads of campaign finance

10:03

regulations? A conservative attorney

10:06

named Roman Martinez. He served as a

10:08

clerk for Chief Justice John Roberts in

10:11

2010, exactly when Roberts engineered

10:15

the original Citizens United ruling.

10:17

This same conservative attorney now

10:19

charged with defending the last

10:21

remaining campaign finance statutes. He

10:24

also recently helped the Chamber of

10:26

Commerce press justices to limit the

10:28

scope of federal anti-bribery laws.

10:32

Could somebody play that old Chevy Chase

10:33

clip here?

10:34

Isn't that a conflict of interest? Like

10:36

Citizens United in 2010, this new

10:38

Supreme Court case only questions a

10:41

narrow aspect of campaign finance law,

10:43

the part that governs how much money

10:46

political parties can spend in

10:48

coordination with their candidates. But

10:50

just like Citizens United, the court

10:52

could go way beyond the narrow issues in

10:55

this case and use the case as an

10:58

opportunity to create a whole new

11:00

president outlawing all campaign

11:03

contribution limits. The court is set to

11:06

hear the case during its current term.

11:08

Depending on how justices rule, by the

11:10

2026 midterm election, we could be

11:13

living under a whole new Citizens United

11:16

2.0 paradigm, where campaign donations

11:19

to candidates and the potential for

11:21

billionaires to buy elections are truly

11:24

unlimited. And even if this JD Vance

11:27

case fails, there's one more case also

11:30

on the horizon. It aims to make it

11:32

almost impossible for prosecutors to

11:35

enforce federal anti-bribery laws. We'll

11:38

hear more about that case after the

break....

break.

11:48

Welcome back to Lever Time. While the

11:50

Republican party pushes the Supreme

11:52

Court to overturn campaign finance laws

11:54

and kill campaign contribution limits,

11:57

the court is also being petitioned to

11:59

hear a separate case taking aim at

12:02

federal anti-bribery laws.

12:04

Former Cincinnati City Council member PG

12:06

Sittenfeld has just been sentenced to 16

12:09

months in prison. PG Sittenfeld was

12:12

arrested after an FBI sting caught him

12:14

accepting $20,000 of campaign

12:17

contributions as he supported a local

12:19

development project that donors wanted.

12:21

Sittenfeld, of course, was found guilty

12:23

on federal charges of bribery and

12:25

attempted extortion.

12:27

Sittenfeld was a rising Democratic

12:29

political star before all this unfolded.

12:31

He went from being the favorite in

12:33

Cincinnati's mayoral race to being a

12:35

convicted felon. He was convicted for

12:37

taking what prosecutors called a bribe

12:39

and he paid the price. The system

12:41

worked, right? Well, not exactly.

12:44

Sittinfeld was then pardoned by

12:47

President Donald Trump. And Sittinfeld

12:49

is now appealing his conviction. By his

12:52

own admission, he's the first person

12:54

ever to appeal a case after he's been

12:57

pardoned. And he's teaming up with a

12:59

Trump connected law firm. He's being

13:01

represented by Trump's former solicitor

13:04

general. and he has the support of an

13:06

army of former elected officials.

13:09

Clearly, this case is less about one

13:11

shady municipal deal in Cincinnati and

13:14

more about eliciting a whole new Supreme

13:17

Court president, making it even harder

13:19

to prosecute public corruption cases. If

13:22

Sittenfeld's appeal is approved by the

13:24

Supreme Court, it would join a decadel

13:27

long string of decisions overturning

13:30

bribery convictions. That includes cases

13:32

involving former Virginia Governor Bob

13:34

McDonald, aids to then New Jersey

13:36

Governor Chris Christie, associates of

13:38

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, and a

13:41

former mayor of Portage, Indiana. In

13:43

that former mayor's case, the court went

13:46

so far as to declare that a public

13:48

official reaping a payment from the

13:50

recipient of government contracts is not

13:52

necessarily engaging in illegal bribery,

13:55

but is really just accepting a legal

13:57

quote gratuitity. It kind of makes you

14:00

wonder why is the Supreme Court so chill

14:04

about bribery.

14:05

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is

14:07

responding to growing criticism about

14:09

his lavish trips funded by a major GOP

14:12

donor.

14:13

Justice Samuel Alo also accepted lavish

14:16

gifts from another conservative

14:18

billionaire and didn't disclose it.

....

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off bs

"Always wants the best for us and advocates for us. He is very measured, very calm and very thorough."

Chambers USA 2025

"Master strategist and court whisperer. He understands how to triangulate between the arguments the client wants to make and the argument the court wants to hear."

Chambers USA 2025

"He writes clear, understandable persuasive briefs and he is someone I'd be happy to send into court to argue in front of any court, SCOTUS included."

Chambers USA 2025

"His briefing and oral advocacy and strategic thinking were exceptional. I have never worked with someone as excellent as Roman."

Chambers USA 2025

Band 1 – Appellate Law

Chambers USA 2025

Leading Partner – Dispute Resolution: Appellate: Courts of Appeals & Supreme Courts (State and Federal)

Legal 500 US 2025

"Roman Martinez is fantastic."

Chambers USA 2024

"He takes complexities and draws out a broader theme that will engage the Court and get them to think about the broader issue."

Chambers USA 2023

"He has a tremendous command of the material and displays real confidence in oral argument."

Chambers USA 2023

"He's got a presence about him that is reassuring to clients and courts."

Chambers USA 2023

"Always wants the best for us and advocates for us. He is very measured, very calm and very thorough."

Chambers USA 2025

Profile

Roman Martinez, Global Chair of the firm’s Supreme Court & Appellate Practice, represents clients in their highest-stakes appeals in the Supreme Court of the United States, as well as in federal and state appellate courts around the country. He previously served as Deputy Office Managing Partner of the Washington, D.C. office.

Roman handles civil and criminal matters involving a wide range of constitutional, statutory, and administrative law issues.

Roman has argued 15 cases in the Supreme Court, including important cases in the fields of the First Amendment, administrative law, arbitration, copyright, patent law, criminal law, civil rights, employment, and civil and criminal procedure. In addition, he has argued dozens of appeals in the D.C., First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, Ninth, and Federal Circuits, as well as in New York, California, New Jersey, Ohio, and Tennessee appellate courts, among others. Roman also regularly participates in district court litigation raising complex questions of federal law.

During the Supreme Court’s 2023 term, Roman secured a significant victory for one set of petitioners in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, in which the Court overruled the Chevrondeference doctrine. He regularly represents clients bringing constitutional and Administrative Procedure Act (APA) challenges to unlawful agency action. The Court recently appointed him as amicus curiae to brief and argue a major First Amendment campaign-finance case in defense of the judgment below.

In the 2022 and 2024 Supreme Court Terms, Roman prevailed in Perez v. Sturgis Public Schools and A.J.T. v. Osseo School District, in both of which the Court expanded legal protections for children with disabilities. His other recent victories in the Supreme Court include ZF Automotive v. Luxshare, in which the Supreme Court clarified that US courts lack authority to grant discovery for use in private commercial arbitrations conducted abroad, and Vega v. Tekoh, in which the Court clarified the scope of civil liability for violations of Miranda v. Arizona.

In the 2020 Term, Roman was part of teams that successfully represented Facebook and the Government of Guam in unanimous Supreme Court victories under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and the Comprehensive Environmental, Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). In 2020, he successfully persuaded the Court to invalidate portions of TCPA under the First Amendment.

Roman has prevailed in 31 of the last 36 cases he has argued to a decision in the federal appellate courts. His wins have included:

In 2016, Roman rejoined Latham after serving as an Assistant to the Solicitor General at the US Department of Justice. Earlier in his career, he served as a law clerk to Chief Justice John G. Roberts of the Supreme Court of the United States and to then-Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh of the D.C. Circuit.

From 2002 to 2005, Roman served as an advisor on the Iraqi political and constitutional process, in various roles at the White House, at the US Embassy and Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq, and at the US Department of Defense. He received the Secretary of Defense Medal for the Global War on Terrorism and the US Department of Defense Distinguished Public Service Award for his service in Iraq.

Roman serves on the US Chamber of Commerce’s Administrative Law & Government Litigation Advisory Committee, on the Advisory Council of the Federal Circuit, and the Federalist Society’s Administrative Law & Regulation Practice Group. He previously served as a member of the D.C. Circuit’s Advisory Committee on Procedures and the US District Court for the District of Columbia’s Committee on Grievances.

Roman’s commentary has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and other publications, and he has appeared on PBS NewsHour and other television programs to discuss the Supreme Court.

Read Less

Experience

Roman’s representative experience includes:

US Supreme Court

Other Federal Court

State Appellate Court

*Matter handled prior to joining Latham

Read More

Qualifications

Bar Qualification

Education

summa cum laude

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  1. The Federalist Society

https://fedsoc.org › bio › roman-martinez

Roman Martinez - Federalist Society

Roman Martinez is a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Latham & Watkins. As a member of the firm's Supreme Court and Appellate Practice, he focuses primarily on appeals in the Supreme Court of the United States, the United States Courts of Appeals, and state appellate courts.

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martinezroman.com

https://martinezroman.com

Martinez Roman Law Firm | Martinez Roman

Martinez Roman defends uninsured employers against workers' compensation claims. Navigating Florida workers' compensation law as an uninsured employer can be both challenging and frustrating. Our attorneys will also assist in compliance issues and make recommendations that allow you to focus on your business rather than potential litigation.

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LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com › in › roman-martinez-v

Roman Martinez - LinkedIn

Liked by Roman Martinez I talked to Bloomberg last week about judicial nominations: Trump's selections typically attended a variety of law schools. Both administrations… Liked by Roman Martinez

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The Appellate Project

https://theappellateproject.org › news-and-voices › all-posts › roman-martinez

Community Profiles | Roman Martinez — The Appellate Project

As Partner at Latham & Watkins LLP, Roman Martinez has represented multiple clients at the Supreme Court and federal and state appellate courts across the country. Most recently, Roman successfully argued the Supreme Court case Perez v. Sturgis Public Schools, a case that raises important issues related to the rights of students with disabilities. Prior to his role at Latham, Roman served as ...

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Oyez

https://www.oyez.org › advocates › roman_martinez

Roman Martinez | Oyez

Roman Martinez Cases argued A.J.T. v. Osseo Area Schools, Independent School District No. 279 (2024) Relentless, Inc. v. Department of Commerce (2023) Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. v. Goldsmith (2022) Perez v. Sturgis Public Schools, et al. (2022) Vega v. Tekoh (2021) ZF Automotive US, Inc. v. Luxshare, Ltd. (2021) Babb v ...

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The Legal 500

https://www.legal500.com › firms › 50571-latham-watkins-llp › global › lawyers › 615065-roman-martinez

Roman Martinez > Latham & Watkins LLP > United States | Lawyer profiles

Benchmarking excellence in law since 1987Roman Martinez, former Deputy Office Managing Partner of the Washington, D.C. office, represents clients in their highest-stakes appeals in the Supreme Court of the United States, as well as in federal and state appellate courts around the country. Roman handles civil and criminal matters involving a wide range of constitutional, statutory, and ...

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Jacksonville Daily Record

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com › news › 2025 › may › 09 › roman-martinez-share-an-inside-view-of-us-supreme-court

Roman Martinez shares an inside view of U.S. Supreme Court

May 9, 2025The former law clerk to Chief Justice John Roberts, and head of appellate practice at Latham & Watkins, shares insights with the JBA. Roman Martinez, global chair of the Supreme Court and Appellate Practice group at Latham & Watkins in Washington, D.C., was the keynote speaker for the Jacksonville ...

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Latham & Watkins LLP

https://www.lw.com › en › news › mvp-lathams-roman-martinez

MVP: Latham's Roman Martinez - lw.com

Nov 20, 2024By Ryan Boysen Law360 (November 19, 2024, 12:02 PM EST) -- Latham & Watkins LLP's Roman Martinez outdid himself this year, helping to tear down the Chevron deference doctrine on behalf of his client, Relentless Inc., in a landmark Supreme Court case and upending existing precedent in another win on behalf of a $70 billion retirement fund, making him one of the 2024 Law360 Appellate MVPs.

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Original Jurisdiction

https://davidlat.substack.com › p › roman-martinez-latham-watkins-scotus-relentless

A Relentlessly Successful SCOTUS Advocate: Roman Martinez

Jul 24, 2024Show Notes: Roman Martinez bio, Latham & Watkins Roman Martinez profile, Chambers and Partners 40 Under 40: Roman Martinez, Washington Business Journal Prefer reading to listening? For paid subscribers, a transcript of the entire episode appears below. Sponsored by: NexFirm helps Biglaw attorneys become founding partners.

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