Minnesota Lawyer
Plaintiffs challenging Minnesota’s campaign finance disclosure rules plan to appeal a judge’s ruling that failed to toss out the state’s reporting requirements. On Monday U.S. District Court Judge Donovan Frank denied a request for a temporary injunction that would have halted the state’s new disclosure rules just six weeks prior to the election.
The Associated Press reports that the plaintiffs are now seeking another injunction from the appellate court that would invalidate the disclosure requirements. They also intend to pursue a full appeal of Frank’s ruling.
The lawsuit was filed by the Taxpayers League of Minnesota, Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life and Coastal Travel Enterprises, a travel agency. Attorneys for the plaintiffs argued that Minnesota’s disclosure requirements are unconstitutional because they require businesses to steer their political donations through political organizations rather than spending directly on campaigns.
Independent political organizations were required to file their latest campaign finance reports with the state on Tuesday. The Legislature adopted new disclosure rules in the wake of the United States Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling, which determined that prohibitions on corporate political spending are unconstitutional.
