Federal Court Derails Campaign Finance Regulations Supreme Court will decide fate of McCain-Feingold law

Interview with Nick Nyhart, executive director of Public Campaign, conducted by Scott Harris

After years of struggle for campaign finance reform, Congress passed legislation which banned unregulated "soft money" contributions made to political parties by corporations, unions and individuals. The measure, named for its sponsors Senators John McCain, R-Ariz., and Russell Feingold, D-Wis., also restricted TV and radio issue advertising referring to specific candidates within 30 days of a primary or 60 days of a general election. But shortly after President Bush signed the measure into law last year, the constitutionality of the legislation was challenged by the Republican Party and a coalition of groups, including the National Rifle Association.

Five months after first hearing the case, a three-judge panel in Washington's U.S. District Court issued four opinions on May 2 relating to McCain-Feingold. In its rulings, the court struck down some key provisions of the law while upholding others, creating a mixed result for supporters and opponents. But in the end this decision is only temporary, as the U.S. Supreme Court will have the final say when it hears the case later this year.

Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Nick Nyhart, executive director of Public Campaign, who examines the lower court rulings and McCain-Feingold's possible fate in the Supreme Court. Nyhart also discusses his group's ongoing effort to institute a publicly-funded clean-money campaign finance system for candidates at the state level.

Contact Public Campaign by calling (202) 293-0222 or visit their Web site at: www.publicampaign.org

Related links:

"Parts of Campaign Finance Law Struck Down," by Neely Turner, Washington Post, May 2, 2003

Flaws in campaign financing argue for broad changes USA Today, April 27, 2003

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