N.Y. Campaign Donation Cap Barred, Win for Lhota Backers

Source: Bloomberg

By Bob Van Voris and Henry Goldman - Oct 24, 2013

An independent political action committee backing Republican Joe Lhota for New York City mayor isn’t subject to a state law that bars individuals from giving it more than $150,000 in a year, a federal appeals court ruled.

The U.S. Court of Appeals in New York today reversed a lower-court judge’s decision and gave a potential boost to Lhota, who is trailing Democrat Bill de Blasio in the polls less than two weeks before the Nov. 5 election.

The appeals panel applied the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision, preliminarily blocking enforcement of the cap against New York Progress and Protection PAC. Alabama businessman Shaun McCutcheon had told the court he wanted to contribute $200,000 to the group in support of Lhota.

“Every sum that a donor is forbidden to contribute to NYPPP because of this statute reduces constitutionally protected speech,” the three-judge panel said.

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-10-24/new-york-election-law-blocked-by-u-s-appeals-court.html