April 28, 2014 •
Federal Court in NY Strikes Down Aggregate Limits
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York struck down a campaign finance law limiting contributions to super PACs. Sections 14-114(8) and 14-126 of the New York Election Law impose an annual aggregate contribution limit of $150,000 per contributor. Plaintiff New York Progress and Protection PAC challenged the aggregate contribution limits on First Amendment grounds.
The committee, although ruled by the court to be an independent expenditure committee, was formed to support the candidacy of Republican Joseph Lhota, the unsuccessful New York City mayoral candidate in 2013.
Judge Paul A. Crotty, citing the precedent established in Citizens United and McCutcheon, enjoined New York’s aggregate contribution limit as applied to independent expenditures.
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