FEC fights questioning from GOP
By The Associated Press
09.05.02
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WASHINGTON — The Federal Election Commission is fighting a GOP attempt to question it for a case challenging the new campaign-finance law.
The commission has asked a federal court in Washington to free it from having to answer the Republican National Committee's questions, which range from the identities of anyone with evidence that political parties are skirting campaign contribution limits to proof that spending by state and local party committees is corrupting federal candidates.
The commission contends the RNC's queries are overly broad, try to force the FEC to reveal its strategy to defend the law and can be addressed in part by reviewing public documents the commission has released. The FEC filed a motion late last week asking the court to step in.
Meanwhile, the FEC has joined the Justice Department and lawmakers in asking the court to force the National Republican Senatorial Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee to hand over fund-raising documents. Neither congressional committee is suing to try to overturn the law.
The law, taking effect Nov. 6, will bar the national party committees from raising the unlimited contributions known as "soft money" from unions, corporations and others, and will restrict political advertising as elections approach.
On Sept. 4, U.S. District Judge William Pauley III in New York ordered the co-author of a study on political ads to answer questions from lawyers for Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., one of those suing to try to strike down the law on First Amendment grounds.
Luke McLoughlin helped write a study by the New York University Law School's Brennan Center for Justice that supported advertising restrictions like those Congress adopted.
The Brennan Center contended McLoughlin, now a University of Pennsylvania law student, played only a secondary role in the study and should not have to testify.
McConnell attorney Floyd Abrams argued that if even presidents have to testify, as former President Bill Clinton did in Paula Jones' sexual harassment lawsuit, it should not be too much to ask that a law student do so.
Previous
GOP, state parties join fight against campaign-finance law
Republican National Committee's lawsuit argues soft-money ban unfairly imposes greater restrictions on political parties' speech than that of other groups.
05.08.02
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