Thank goodness for "activist judges" that don't work for the dark side.
A judge has blocked enactment of Ohio's new campaign finance law, saying it raises questions about the constitutional rights of unions to participate in the late stages of election campaigns. Judge John Bender of Franklin County Common Pleas Court today granted a union coalition's request for a preliminary injunction blocking enactment, which was to take place tomorrow.
Bender said in his ruling that sections of the law prohibiting third-party ads funded by unions and businesses 30 days before elections were similar to a 1995 case in which the bans were declared unconstitutional infringements of free speech. He added that Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell, who oversees elections in Ohio, will get a chance to defend the law at later hearings.
The Republican-controlled Legislature approved the new law during a special session in December
.
http://www.fox19.com/Global/story.asp?S=3144060
There's a lot more wrong with this campaign finance law than the effect it has on ads by unions. This is also the law that
would quadruple the amount allowed by individual contributors to state campaigns from $2,500 to $10,000 per candidate.
http://www.wcpo.com/news/2004/local/12/11/campaign_finance.html
Oh, and donors as young as 10 years old can give up to $10,000. Hey--I've got an 11 year old and a kid who will be 10 in September! Oh, wait...we're not rich. But if I *were* rich, I could donate money in my own name, my husband could donate in his name, and our kids could each make donations too. Isn't that special?