The New Campaign Finance Law and its '60-Day Window' Rules Begin Sept. 3rd

WASHINGTON, Sept. 1 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Under the new campaign finance law, there are certain rules that go into effect for the period 60 days before a federal general election and 30 days before a primary. These rules spell out what funds must be used to finance broadcast ads that refer to a federal candidate and that are broadcast to the candidate's voters during that period. The rules also provide additional disclosure requirements for the funds spent on such ads.

Nothing in the new law prohibits anyone from running an ad about a federal candidate during the 60-day window; rather the new law sets out the funding sources that must be used to finance such ads and the additional disclosure that is required.

The 60-day window for the 2004 general election begins on Sept. 3, 2004.

Corporations & Labor Unions

Under the new law, corporations, including incorporated nonprofit groups, and labor unions cannot use their treasury funds to finance broadcast ads about federal candidates during the 60-day window. They may only finance such ads with funds from their registered federal PACs, funds which must be raised voluntarily from individuals and are subject to a $5,000 limit per year...cont'd

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=35530

http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFree.cfm?ID=16356&c=206

even though it advocates an issue position that Kerry supports and Bush opposes.