From the Seattle Times, comes this story about the latest application of the McCain-Feingold law and its chilling effect on freedom of speech.
OLYMPIA ? Comments made by radio talk-show hosts this past summer supporting anti-gas-tax Initiative 912 should be considered in-kind political contributions, a Thurston County Superior Court judge reaffirmed Wednesday.Judge Chris Wickham also found that the I-912 campaign had complied with his ruling by reporting the contributions to the state and closed the case.
The ruling was called a blow to free speech by the law firm representing the I-912 campaign, which is seeking to overturn a 9.5-cent-a-gallon increase in the state gas tax. They vowed to appeal to the state Supreme Court.
“Campaigns and media figures are going to have this in the back of their heads. ‘Am I too close to this, am I talking about this too much? Should I be having lunch with this guy from the campaign?’ ” said William Maurer, executive director of the Institute for Justice Washington Chapter, which represents I-912 in the case.
There are plenty of people to blame for this. The Judge who issued this ruling. The Supreme Court that upheld the law. Senators McCain and Feingold and everyone else who voted in favor of the law. And, of course, the President who signed it into law even though he believed it to be unconstitutional. Thank you, Mr. President, for nothing.
H/T: Michelle Malkin
