October 22, 2018 •
Lawsuit Filed Over Massachusetts Campaign Finance Law
The Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance filed a lawsuit against the Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF) alleging that the state’s campaign finance laws are unconstitutional.
The law in question requires ads within 90 days of a general election naming any candidate or ballot question to include a statement from the sponsor’s chief executive officer, chairman, principal officer, or business manager.
The law covers television ads, radio, billboards, and print and must also include a list of the organization’s top five contributors.
The Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance asserts these requirements may lead to biased judgments about an ad based on the named officer’s sex, gender, race, or other personal characteristics.
Additionally, they argue the requirements imply the donors funded the ad when they only contributed money to support the organization’s overall mission.
The OCPF has declined to comment on the lawsuit.
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