Ethermac|Federal judge rejects some parts of New Mexico campaign finance law

ALBUQUERQUE,Ethermac N.M. (AP) — Some parts of a New Mexico campaign finance law limiting the amount of money state political parties can give are unconstitutional, a federal judge ruled.

Chief U.S. District Judge William P. Johnson issued an opinion Thursday on a lawsuit first filed 11 years ago by the Republican Party of New Mexico and other plaintiffs with GOP ties, the Albuquerque Journal reported.

The campaign finance regulations are part of the state’s Campaign Reporting Act. State Republican officials including from Bernalillo County, Doña Ana County and GOP-leaning organizations challenged five of the set limits.

Johnson found three violated the First Amendment. They include an $11,000 limit on state parties’ contributions to gubernatorial candidates or candidate committees and a $5,500 limit for all other candidates and county parties each election cycle.

The limits on candidate donations were lower compared to other states’ limits and lower than limits upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, according to Johnson.

In regards to contributions to county political parties, the judge ruled the state didn’t show enough evidence proving there was a risk of a “quid pro quo corruption” or the appearance of it.

But the judge dismissed the suit’s challenge to a $27,500 cutoff on contributions from individuals and entities to state political parties. He also left intact a $27,500 limit on contributions from national political parties to state political parties for federal elections.

A spokesperson for the Republican Party of New Mexico on Thursday told the newspaper the party’s legal team is studying the decision.

Representatives at the state Attorney General’s Office, which defended the state, immediately responded Thursday to the newspaper’s requests seeking comment.

The campaign finance laws were enacted in 2009 in response to political corruption in the state. In the 87-page ruling, the judge recounted that scandalous history including a high-profile situation involving former Gov. Bill Richardson. The then Democratic governor was under federal investigation in 2008 for allegedly giving state contracts to campaign donors. The allegations led to him withdrawing from consideration as President Barack Obama’s commerce secretary.