Litigation

Bopp Lawsuit Challenges HI Campaign Finance Law

By Peter Hardin

No doubt that activist lawyer James Bopp Jr. of Terre Haute, Indiana gets around. One of the latest lawsuits that he’s filed challenges a new campaign finance law in Hawaii.

According to a Honolulu Star Advertiser article, the lawsuit in federal court seeks to throw out a ban on political contributions by state and county contractors. It also questions state law that sets reporting requirements for political advertising; attribution and disclaimer provisions for political advertising; a $1,000 ceiling on donations by political action committees; and state law guiding corporations to register as PACs before they make a political donation.

While Bopp contends that the laws at issue violate Free Speech protections, he has numerous critics. Bopp and his team “seem eager to let moneyed interests out-shout the voices of ordinary Americans,” said Barbara Polk, legislative chairwoman of Americans for Democratic Action/Hawaii. Some critics contend Bopp is trying to dismantle campaign finance regulations around the country.

To keep up with lawsuits that Bopp is handling in numerous states, check out Gavel Grab.

Full post as published by The Gavel on September 01, 2010 (boomark / email).