GOP Sues to Overturn Soft Money Ban

[WSJ_law_blog]

Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan during a forum on the presidential elections, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2008, at the National Press Club in Washington. (AP/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Injury on insult? Just weeks after Senator John McCain conceded the presidency to Barack Obama, the GOP is seeking to undo one of his signature legislative accomplishments — the ban on soft money campaign donations that was the cornerstone of the 2002 law he championed.

The Republican party filed a lawsuit Thursday to overturn the soft money ban. In other words, the Republicans want political parties to be allowed to accept unlimited donations from corporations, labor unions and wealthy individuals. Here’s a WSJ report.

The WSJ couldn’t reach McCain for comment. But RNC Chairman Mike Duncan said Republicans need large donations to help rebuild their party.

According to our colleagues at Washington Wire, McCain’s law withstood a similar challenge in 2003 from Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, with the Supreme Court ruling 5-4 to uphold the ban on large donations. But the outcome, says WashWire, could be different this time. Justice O’Connor, who supported the law, has been succeeded by Justice Alito. In two recent Supreme Court challenges of other sections of the campaign finance law, Alito has ruled against the law, weakening important provisions.