Group Asks Judge To Toss Campaign Finance Ruling

The attorney for a group seeking to overhaul Montana's campaign finance laws is asking a judge to rule that it is unconstitutional for the state to penalize it for not reporting its expenditures.

Wednesday's court hearing is part of an ongoing legal battle between Montana officials and Virginia-based American Tradition Partnership.

Montana's commissioner of political practices ruled last year that the group, then called Western Tradition Partnership, had to report its expenditures because it spent money on flyers attacking political candidates.

The group filed a lawsuit challenging the ruling, saying it was exercising its constitutionally protected free speech.

Attorney James Brown asked District Judge Jeffrey Sherlock to rule on the constitutionality of the state's campaign finance law without going to trial.

Sherlock did not make an immediate ruling.

Associated Press