The Republican National Committee filed a lawsuit against the Federal Election Commission on Friday seeking the ability to raise unlimited donations from individuals, the latest attempt by the GOP to knock out a seminal 2002 campaign finance overhaul.
In its suit, the party committee argues that it has a First Amendment right to raise the kind of massive contributions that now fuel super PACs and other independent groups.
Currently, individuals can only give $32,400 a year to party committees. Overturning that limit would knock out a major plank of the McCain-Feingold Act, which banned parties from accepting soft money.
Joining the suit, which was filed in Washington district court, were the Republican Party of Louisiana, the Jefferson and Orleans Parish Republican Executive Committees, and Roger Villere, chairman of the Louisiana Republican Party.
The RNC said it is not seeking to do away with the soft money ban or form its own super PAC, arguing that it only wants to raise unlimited sums from individuals, not corporations. But supporters of restrictions on campaign donations said the GOP is attempting an end-run around law.
“This is an effort to have the national parties create super PACs and claim the super PACs are independent from the parties,” said Fred Wertheimer, president of Democracy 21, which seeks to reduce the influence of money on politics. “That’s just a shell game.”
Wertheimer noted that the courts have previously denied challenges to the soft-money ban. “I see no reason why they won't lose again in this case,” he said.
The case is Republican National Committee v Federal Election Commission, 1:14-cv-853.
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