Litigation

Another Editorial Shells Supreme Court on AZ Order

By Peter Hardin

Another editorial in a major national newspaper is sharply critical of the Supreme Court’s order blocking release of matching dollars to publicly funded candidates in Arizona.

A Washington Post editorial says, “On the subject of campaign finance regulation, the Supreme Court is out of control. The latest manifestation is the court’s unwarranted intervention in Arizona’s upcoming election.”

The high court has yet to decide whether to consider an appeal by critics of Arizona’s model campaign finance system, and the order may be only temporary. But taking other rulings by the court into account, “the signs for the Arizona law are not promising,” the editorial adds. “Those who complain about judicial activism might start with the current court’s campaign finance jurisprudence.”

You can read about an earlier editorial in the New York Times from Gavel Grab, or click here for a Gavel Grab post with details about the court order.

The controversial provision distributes additional taxpayer dollars to publicly-funded candidates if their privately-funded opponent or independent political groups exceed a spending limit set by the state. The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the provision last month, and foes are seeking a reversal by the Supreme Court.

Full post as published by The Gavel on June 12, 2010 (boomark / email).