{news} FW: Press Release - ACLU of Connecticut Files Federal Lawsuit

[Charlie Pillsbury]

  _____  

From: ACLU-Connecticut [mailto:actionalert at acluct.org] 
Sent: Monday, July 10, 2006 10:56 AM
To: chapillsbury at igc.org
Subject: Press Release - ACLU of Connecticut Files Federal Lawsuit

 


 ACLU of Connecticut Logo <http://www.acluct.org/images/logo.gif> 

 

***PRESS RELEASE***

 

ACLU of Connecticut Files Federal Lawsuit 
Challenging State Campaign Finance Law

Suit Targets Provisions on Minor Party Participation and Lobbyist
Contributions
Jeffrey Garfield and Richard Blumenthal Named as Defendants

 

Read the complaint at: http://www.acluct.org/downloads/CFRComplaint.pdf
<http://www.congressweb.com/t/l/?JYQPFORLZJSNRAF> 

July 10, 2006

HARTFORD, CT - On July 6th, the ACLU Foundation of Connecticut filed a
lawsuit in federal court in Hartford challenging the state's new campaign
finance law, saying that several provisions of the law violate the freedoms
of speech and association under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution
and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The suit names
Jeffrey Garfield, Executive Director of the state Elections Enforcement
Commission, and State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal as defendants and
seeks to block them from enforcing those provisions.

"For more than 17 years, the ACLU has supported public financing for
political campaigns as a means of facilitating the candidacy of individuals
from diverse socio-economic and political backgrounds. At the same time,
however, we have been concerned that election campaign reforms be achieved
by means that do not sacrifice basic civil liberties," said Roger C. Vann,
Executive Director of ACLU-CT. He added, "We believe that Connecticut's
campaign finance law crosses that line. For the sake of political
expediency, the General Assembly passed and the Governor signed deeply
flawed legislation that plays fast and loose with the constitutional rights
of both candidates and their supporters."

The campaign law, which was passed in December of 2005 and amended this past
June, establishes a system of public financing for campaigns for state
Constitutional and General Assembly offices. "In order for the public
financing of campaigns to be fair, funds must be equally available in equal
amounts to all qualified candidates who are able to objectively demonstrate
support for their candidacies, said Renee C. Redman, ACLUF-CT Legal Director
and co-counsel in the lawsuit. "Connecticut's law doesn't meet that standard
because it effectively excludes minor party candidates from receiving public
financing. Minor party candidates are compelled to demonstrate support not
only through onerous financial requirements but also through prior election
activity. This goes far beyond an objective showing of support," added
Redman.

"The Connecticut legislators who drafted this law in the dead of night knew
that they were creating a system that would perpetuate two classes of
political parties that are separate and unequal," said plaintiff S. Michael
Derosa, co-chair of the Green Party of Connecticut and the party's current
candidate for Secretary of the State. He added, "We consider this law an act
of blatant discrimination against third party and independent candidacies."

The law also bars contributions by lobbyists, state contractors, and their
immediate family members. Certain employees, officers and directors of
current and prospective state contractors are also barred from making
contributions. The lawsuit claims that these absolute restrictions violate
the First Amendment. 

Betty Gallo, a plaintiff in the case, heads the lobbying and government
relations firm Betty Gallo & Co., and has lobbied before the state General
Assembly since 1976. She feels the new campaign finance law will unfairly
limit her right to actively participate in the political process as a
"responsible citizen." "The way this law is written if my doctor said, 'I
got a request for a campaign contribution from my representative. Is she
good on the expansion of HUSKY? Should I send her money?' I can't answer
that question. If my neighbor said, 'This Senator is doing a fundraiser next
week. How is he on infertility coverage or same sex marriage?' I can't
answer that question. I can no longer serve as a campaign manager for a
state race. And I can't even give a $25 contribution to a friend running for
office," Gallo said.

In addition to Derosa and Gallo, the ACLU is representing the Green Party of
Connecticut; Dr. Joanne P. Philips, the wife of Don Philips who is a
communicator lobbyist for the Connecticut Bar Association; the Libertarian
Party of Connecticut; and the ACLU of Connecticut. 

Redman and National ACLU Senior Staff Attorney Mark Lopez are co-counsel in
the case. 

The ACLU is seeking permanent injunctive relief prohibiting the
implementation of the challenged provisions.

Roger

Roger C. Vann
Executive Director
ACLU-Connecticut
32 Grand Street
Hartford, CT 06106

 

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To learn more about ACLU-CT please visit our website at
http://www.acluct.org <http://www.congressweb.com/t/l/?JYQPFORLZJBREUR> . 

  <http://www.congressweb.com/t/i/?JYQPFORLZJ> 

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