Pro-Life Group Leads Legal Challenge to Campaign Finance Provisions 
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
November 17, 2005
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — Several organizations, including pro-life groups are participating in a legal case meant to strike down provisions of a Congressional-approved campaign finance measure that prevents groups from talking about candidates’ records on things like abortion just before an election.
A wide array of issue organizations from across the political spectrum filed friend of the court briefs in support of Wisconsin Right to Life’s appeal of its case to the U. S. Supreme Court.
In this appeal, Wisconsin Right to Life is seeking to establish an exception for grassroots lobbying to the McCain-Feingold law’s prohibition on corporate funding of "electioneering" communications within 30 days before a primary election or 60 days before a general election.
"The broad spectrum of groups filing amicus curiae briefs shows that, although citizen groups may differ on a wide range of issues, they all agree on the right of the people to engage in self-government through constitutionally guaranteed free expression," said James Bopp, a leading pro-life attorney representing Wisconsin Right to Life.
"And they agree that incumbent politicians shouldn’t be able to insulate themselves from grassroots lobbying through campaign finance restrictions," Bopp added.
Usual suspects supporting pro-abortion causes or candidates joined Wisconsin Right to Life in the case, including the ACLU, the AFL-CIO and conglomerate of environmentalist groups. Conservative organizations like the Chamber of Commerce are helping as well.
Even NARAL and some of its state affiliates are weighing in on the case in supporting of Wisconsin Right to Life.
The U. S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the case in January.
