Missouri attorney general asks U.S. Supreme Court to consider contribution case

By The Associated Press

01.11.01

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Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon sworn into office Jan. 8, has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate a state law limiting campaign contributions from political parties.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Attorney General Jay Nixon has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate a 1994 state law limiting the amount of money political parties can give to their candidates.

A three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, acting on a free-speech challenge brought by the Missouri Republican Party, held the law unconstitutional last September.

"It is important to continue the fight for campaign reform by closing this loophole which undermines the public's expressed desire to take big money out of the political process," Nixon said yesterday.

Nixon filed a petition Jan. 9 asking the Supreme Court to take the case and said he was prepared to argue it himself. There was no indication when the court would rule on Nixon's request.

The law caps donations from parties at $11,175 for candidates for statewide office; $5,600 for state Senate candidates; and $2,800 for state House candidates. Contributions to candidates for other offices are limited to 10 times the donation limits imposed on individuals.

John Hancock, executive director of the Missouri Republican Party, said yesterday he was not surprised by Nixon's decision.

"A political party's free speech is through its candidates," Hancock said. "The parties and their candidates are inexorably linked together. We think we have a very strong case."

Nixon said yesterday the effect of GOP's challenge to the limits could already be measured.

In 1997 and 1998, when the law was in effect, candidates received more than $820,000 from all political party committees, he said. But with enforcement suspended in the 1999-2000 election cycle because of the court action, the Republican and Democratic state committees alone gave candidates a total of more than $4 million, he said.

Missouri also has a law limiting campaign donations from individuals, which Nixon successfully defended before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Hancock, however, says there is a "a fundamental difference between political party support of candidates and those from individual donors."

Update

Supreme Court orders review of state spending caps
Justices tell lower court to reconsider Missouri’s rules on political party contributions in light of decision upholding federal limits.  07.02.01

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State can't limit party contributions to candidates, federal appeals panel rules
In 2-1 decision, judges find unconstitutional Missouri's 1994 law capping cash and in-kind donations.  09.12.00