Court Hears Campaign Funding Case Today
The U.S. Supreme Court today hears a challenge to a federal law that restricts TV ads by unions and businesses in the weeks before an election.
The Wall Street Journal (sub. req.) reports that eyes will be on Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. He replaced retired Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, who voted to uphold some campaign finance regulations.
The Bush administration is defending the law.
SCOTUSblog’s preview of the case says it is a sequel to a 2003 decision that upholds major provisions of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002.
The present case began as a challenge to that law as it was applied, but now it seeks to overrule that 2003 ruling in McConnell v. Federal Election Commission.
The case has consolidated two appeals: FEC v. Wisconsin Right to Life and McCain v. Wisconsin Right to Life. The FEC has argued the latter case is moot because it focuses on three specific 2004 ads.
Here is theLos Angeles Times’ coverage of the case.
