Court hacks campaign-reform law
By Bill McConnell -- Broadcasting & Cable, 5/5/2003 4:00:00 AM
A federal court Friday struck down most of a new campaign-finance-reform law that restricted election-season political ads and banned large corporate and union political contributions by political parties.
The ruling, handed down by a special panel of federal judges, sets the stage for a final showdown on the law in the Supreme Court.
The ruling clears the way for an immediate appeal by the losing parties to the U.S. Supreme Court just in time for the 2004 presidential election.
The campaign-reform law -- shepherded through contentious Capitol Hill battles by Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) -- restricted the types of ads than can be broadcast on TV and radio close to an election.
The law also banned 'soft-money' donations to political parties -- a gigantic source of funds for political TV ads.
In the 2002 election, for instance, campaign ads added roughly $1 billion to TV-station revenues.
The aim of the law, signed by President Bush in March 2002, was to eliminate what supporters saw as the corrupting influence of corporate and interest-group money into the political process.
Opponents included the National Association of Broadcasters and ranged from the national Democratic and Republican parties to interest groups of all stripes, such as the National Rifle Association and the American Civil Liberties Union.
They said the law is a clear violation of free-speech rights and the courts have no option other than to strike down nearly all of it.
The law has been defended by attorneys for the Department of Justice.
No related content found.
-
No Top Articles
VIEW ALL GALLERIES
