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National Organization for Marriage loses campaign finance appeal
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August 12, 2011
BOSTON, Massachusetts: The United States Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit ruled yesterday to uphold the constitutionality of Maine's campaign finance reporting requirements for political action committees.[1] The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) had argued that Maine's disclosure laws were vague and overly broad. NOM appealed their case after district judge Brock Hornby's February ruling upholding Maine's campaign disclosure laws.[2]
Maine's current law requires any advocacy group which raises more than $5,000 to influence state elections to disclose its own donors, as well as the group's campaign expenditures. NOM was the primary financial backer of Maine Same-Sex Marriage People's Veto, Question 1, a 2009 ballot measure in which Maine citizens voted to overturn Maine's law allowing same-sex marriage.[3] Also yesterday, the First Circuit Court of Appeals struck down a similar challenge by NOM in Rhode Island.
Footnotes
- ↑ Wall Street Journal Law Blog, "First Circuit Rules Against Anti-gay Marriage Group in Campaign-Finance Suits," August 12, 2011
- ↑ Christian Post, "NOM Loses Lawsuit against Maine's Campaign Disclosure Law," February 21, 2011
- ↑ The Republic, "Federal appeals court upholds Maine PAC reporting requirement," August 11, 2011
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