Corporations sue to allow campaign contributions

[kpete]

Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune

Corporations sue to allow campaign contributions

Not content with running their own ads supporting candidates, businesses want judicial approval to contribute directly to campaigns and political parties.

By PAT DOYLE, Star Tribune


Upset with restrictions on political campaign contributions, backers of Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer are seeking to overturn a Minnesota law barring corporations from contributing directly to campaigns and parties.

State law now allows corporations to spend money independently of campaigns on ads supporting or opposing candidates, an arrangement that the U.S. Supreme Court approved early this year.

But the Taxpayers League of Minnesota, Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life and Coastal Travel Enterprises seek to go beyond that ruling and allow direct contributions to candidates by corporations.

"Our clients believe ... that the First Amendment gives corporations ... the right to contribute to candidates and political parties through their general treasury funds," said Joe La Rue, an attorney for the plaintiffs, who sued this week in U.S. District Court in Minnesota.

Read more: http://www.startribune.com/politics/state/98080899.html?elr=KArks7PYDiaK7DUoaK7D_V_eDc87DUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aU7DYaGEP7vDEh7P:DiUs

[BootinUp]

1. The Supreme Court agrees, sigh. nt

[ParkieDem]

2. Actually, the SC doesn't.

The Citizens United decision drew a distinction between political statements and ads run by corporations or other groups independent of a campaign, and direct contributions by corporations to candidates. Direct contributions by corporations (and labor unions) to political candidates have been banned for quite a while, and have stood up to constitutional scrutiny even under the current Supreme Court.

[BootinUp]

3. ok

thanks for the correction.

[Go2Peace]

4. It's not enough to run ads, if they contribute directly they can BRIBE

That is what they are after. Amazing. And the fact they would push for this shows that this is all about POWER, not supposed "rights".

[BadGimp]

5. this line says it all:

"Our clients believe ... that the First Amendment gives corporations ... the right to contribute to candidates and political parties through their general treasury funds,"