The Iowa Supreme Court has issued a ruling in a case that challenges the state’s campaign finance law. The Iowa Right to Life Committee (IRTL) challenged an Iowa law covering campaign donations that was created in the wake of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in January 2010 that said campaign donations are a form of free speech.
The law would require IRTL and other organizations to file information with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board outlining how much is being spent on a candidate. The pro-life organization said it is unconstitutionally chilled from making such donations due to the burdens imposed by Iowa’s laws and regulations.
The U.S. District Court in Iowa’s southern district denied an injunction to keep the law from being implemented. But the district court asked the Iowa Supreme Court to rule on IRTL’s question of whether a corporation must form a political committee if it wants to spend more than $750 advocating for or against candidates.
The Iowa Supreme Court ruled that although Iowa’s laws are not entirely clear — a corporation like IRTL may advocate for a candidate without forming a political committee.
See the entire ruling here: IRTL ruling PDF