A small victory for political free speech

We read:

"A recent federal court decision has grassroots political activists briefly clinking their champagne glasses. Republicans should be taking notes. While the last decade’s campaign finance statutes have almost exclusively benefited unions and liberal causes, recent and pending litigation may finally turn the tide in favor of center-right constituencies.

On May 26, U.S. District Judge Stephan Mickle struck down Florida’s highly restrictive electioneering communications law. The ruling frees community groups to speak freely about candidates and issues without being bogged down in bureaucratic red tape.

Under the law, any group referencing a candidate or ballot issue on any public newsletter or website was required to register with the government and report all spending and donors, including those whose support was never intended to result in political speech. Individuals were required to register after spending just $100 on any political issue. Any failure to comply could have resulted in fines and jail time.

Mickle’s ruling chided Florida’s legislature for its brazenness. “While it is true that the legislature has the power to regulate elections, it does not have the power to regulate purely political discussions about elections,” he wrote.

Florida’s aggressive approach is far from isolated. Legislatures across the nation passed similar statutes in the aftermath of the 2003 U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in McConnell v. Federal Elections Commission, which upheld strict restrictions on electioneering communications and soft money.

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