Michael E. Toner
Encyclopedia
Michael E. Toner, American attorney and political appointee, specialized in election law, and currently employed by Wiley Rein LLP where he co-chairs the Election Law & Government Ethics Practice. He formerly served as the chairman of the Federal Election Commission
(FEC), the regulatory body that oversees campaign finance
for United States federal elections.
Mr. Toner joined Wiley Rein in 2011, after leaving Bryan Cave
LLP where he was a partner for four years and was also president of Bryan Cave Strategies, which was Bryan Cave’s government affairs division. Prior to his position at Bryan Cave, Toner served as chairman of the Federal Election Commission
in 2006. Toner was nominated to be an FEC
commissioner by President George W. Bush on March 4, 2002, and was given a recess appointment
to the FEC on March 29, 2002. The United States Senate confirmed Toner to a full term as Commissioner on March 18, 2003.
Prior to being appointed to the FEC, Toner was Chief Counsel of the Republican National Committee
. Mr. Toner joined the RNC in 2001 after serving as general counsel of the Bush-Cheney Transition Team in Washington, D.C. and general counsel of the Bush-Cheney 2000 presidential campaign in Austin, Texas
.
Before joining the Bush campaign in Austin, Toner was Deputy Counsel at the RNC from 1997 to 1999. Prior to his tenure at the RNC, Mr. Toner served as Counsel to the Dole/Kemp Presidential Campaign in 1996.
Toner was an associate attorney at Wiley Rein LLP (formerly Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP) in Washington, D.C. from 1992 to 1996. His work there included advising political committees and corporate clients on federal and state election law compliance. He was also involved in a number of First
and Fourteenth Amendment
appellate litigation matters, including two cases that were successful in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Mr. Toner has written widely on campaign finance matters, including in The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune
, Washington Times, Hill Newspaper and Roll Call
. . He is a contributing author of "Divided States of America: The Slash and Burn Politics of the 2004 Presidential Election", "The Sixth Year Itch: The Rise and Fall of the George W. Bush Presidency", "The Year of Obama: How Barack Obama Won the White House", and "Pendulum Swing". In addition, Toner has appeared as a guest commentator on Fox News Channel
, ABC News
, CBS News
, Bloomberg News, C-SPAN
and National Public Radio.
Mr. Toner has been an adjunct professor of law at the William and Mary Law School and a lecturer in the department of politics at the University of Virginia
.
Mr. Toner is a member of the District of Columbia Bar and Virginia Bar Association
, as well as the United States Supreme Court Bar. He also is admitted to appear before the Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. District Courts for the District of Columbia and Eastern District of Virginia.
Mr. Toner received a J.D.
, cum laude, from Cornell Law School
in 1992, an M.A.
in political science
from Johns Hopkins University
in 1989, and a B.A.
, with distinction, from the University of Virginia
in 1986.
Federal Election Commission
The Federal Election Commission is an independent regulatory agency that was founded in 1975 by the United States Congress to regulate the campaign finance legislation in the United States. It was created in a provision of the 1975 amendment to the Federal Election Campaign Act...
(FEC), the regulatory body that oversees campaign finance
Campaign finance
Campaign finance refers to all funds that are raised and spent in order to promote candidates, parties or policies in some sort of electoral contest. In modern democracies such funds are not necessarily devoted to election campaigns. Issue campaigns in referendums, party activities and party...
for United States federal elections.
Mr. Toner joined Wiley Rein in 2011, after leaving Bryan Cave
Bryan Cave
Bryan Cave LLP is an international law firm with twenty-one offices worldwide, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.- Overview :The international law firm Bryan Cave LLP dates back to 1873 in St. Louis. Founded in 1873 in St. Louis as King, Phillips and Stewart, the firm became Stewart, Bryan,...
LLP where he was a partner for four years and was also president of Bryan Cave Strategies, which was Bryan Cave’s government affairs division. Prior to his position at Bryan Cave, Toner served as chairman of the Federal Election Commission
Federal Election Commission
The Federal Election Commission is an independent regulatory agency that was founded in 1975 by the United States Congress to regulate the campaign finance legislation in the United States. It was created in a provision of the 1975 amendment to the Federal Election Campaign Act...
in 2006. Toner was nominated to be an FEC
FEC
FEC is an acronym which may refer to:*Foreign exchange certificate, a type of currency*Forward error correction, a system of error control for data transmission*Family entertainment center, a small amusement park or indoor equivalent intended for family fun...
commissioner by President George W. Bush on March 4, 2002, and was given a recess appointment
Recess appointment
A recess appointment is the appointment, by the President of the United States, of a senior federal official while the U.S. Senate is in recess. The U.S. Constitution requires that the most senior federal officers must be confirmed by the Senate before assuming office, but while the Senate is in...
to the FEC on March 29, 2002. The United States Senate confirmed Toner to a full term as Commissioner on March 18, 2003.
Prior to being appointed to the FEC, Toner was Chief Counsel of the Republican National Committee
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
. Mr. Toner joined the RNC in 2001 after serving as general counsel of the Bush-Cheney Transition Team in Washington, D.C. and general counsel of the Bush-Cheney 2000 presidential campaign in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
.
Before joining the Bush campaign in Austin, Toner was Deputy Counsel at the RNC from 1997 to 1999. Prior to his tenure at the RNC, Mr. Toner served as Counsel to the Dole/Kemp Presidential Campaign in 1996.
Toner was an associate attorney at Wiley Rein LLP (formerly Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP) in Washington, D.C. from 1992 to 1996. His work there included advising political committees and corporate clients on federal and state election law compliance. He was also involved in a number of First
First Amendment to the United States Constitution
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...
and Fourteenth Amendment
Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was adopted on July 9, 1868, as one of the Reconstruction Amendments.Its Citizenship Clause provides a broad definition of citizenship that overruled the Dred Scott v...
appellate litigation matters, including two cases that were successful in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Mr. Toner has written widely on campaign finance matters, including in The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
, Washington Times, Hill Newspaper and Roll Call
Roll Call
Roll Call is a newspaper published in Washington, D.C., United States, from Monday to Thursday when the United States Congress is in session and on Mondays only during recess. Roll Call reports news of legislative and political maneuverings on Capitol Hill, as well as political coverage of...
. . He is a contributing author of "Divided States of America: The Slash and Burn Politics of the 2004 Presidential Election", "The Sixth Year Itch: The Rise and Fall of the George W. Bush Presidency", "The Year of Obama: How Barack Obama Won the White House", and "Pendulum Swing". In addition, Toner has appeared as a guest commentator on Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
, ABC News
ABC News
ABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
, CBS News
CBS News
CBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...
, Bloomberg News, C-SPAN
C-SPAN
C-SPAN , an acronym for Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network, is an American cable television network that offers coverage of federal government proceedings and other public affairs programming via its three television channels , one radio station and a group of websites that provide streaming...
and National Public Radio.
Mr. Toner has been an adjunct professor of law at the William and Mary Law School and a lecturer in the department of politics at the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
.
Mr. Toner is a member of the District of Columbia Bar and Virginia Bar Association
Virginia Bar Association
The Virginia Bar Association is a voluntary organization of lawyers in Virginia, with offices in Richmond, Virginia.- VBA Mission : is the independent voice of the Virginia lawyer, advancing the highest ideals of the profession through advocacy and volunteer service.- History :The VBA, , was...
, as well as the United States Supreme Court Bar. He also is admitted to appear before the Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. District Courts for the District of Columbia and Eastern District of Virginia.
Mr. Toner received a J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
, cum laude, from Cornell Law School
Cornell Law School
Cornell Law School, located in Ithaca, New York, is a graduate school of Cornell University and one of the five Ivy League law schools. The school confers three law degrees...
in 1992, an M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
from Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
in 1989, and a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
, with distinction, from the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
in 1986.
External links
- More information at :http://www.wileyrein.com/professionals.cfm?sp=bio&id=1201
- http://www.wileyrein.com