Federal court may join scrutiny of Wisconsin campaign-finance law

By The Associated Press

11.09.02

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MADISON, Wis. — A federal judge says she may hear a challenge to Wisconsin's new campaign-finance law even though the state Supreme Court is considering a similar case.

U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb dismissed a motion by the state Elections Board seeking dismissal of a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a campaign-finance law passed last summer.

The law creates a 30-day window before elections in which independent groups must report to the state if they plan to run ads for or against candidates. The law also requires them to report how much they plan to spend on the ads.

The groups, which include the Wisconsin Education Association Council and Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, argue in the lawsuit that the law violates constitutional guarantees of free speech and due process.

The state Supreme Court is also considering the law. A provision in the law required Attorney General Jim Doyle to ask the high court to review it.

The Elections Board argued the federal court shouldn't consider the group's lawsuit because the state Supreme Court is reviewing it simultaneously.

But Crabb ruled on Nov. 6 that a decision by the federal court wouldn't interfere with any other proceedings and the board hadn't shown any special reasons why the federal court should leave the case alone.

Update

Wisconsin campaign-finance overhaul struck down
District judge rules provision in new law placed unconstitutional restrictions on political ads.  12.14.02

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Campaign-finance law won't get Wisconsin high court review
But opponents have challenge pending in federal court.  11.18.02

Wisconsin Assembly rejects issue-ads bill
‘We all want clean, honest elections, but trampling on the First Amendment is not the way to get there,’ says Rep. Mark Gundrum.  03.07.01