On July 24, U.S. District Court Judge Daniel D. Crabtree, an Obama appointee, granted a Temporary Restraining Order against a Kansas campaign finance law, as applied to a small civic group in Overland Park. Fresh Vision Op v Skoglund, 5:24cv-04055. Kansas officials demanded that Fresh Vision register as a political committee after it endorsed a candidate for Mayor. The group generally doesn’t get involved with campaigns for public office, and instead carries on activities around ideas for civic improvement. The group sued because it doesn’t want to register as a “Political Committee”. Reporting requirements are burdensome for political committees, and donors must be identified.
Construing mere endorsements as political contributions triggering campaign finance reporting requirements has to be a violation of the First Amendment.
We see, once again, how campaign finance law is being used to stifle candidates and even free speech of non-candidates. IMO, Citizens United was basically a good decision, supporting the First Amendment rights of even nominal persons and organizations.
At some point, there needs to be a decision eliminating contribution limits altogether.