Campaign Reform Suit Rejected

The California Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected a wide-ranging constitutional challenge by Democratic legislative leaders and labor groups to key provisions of Proposition 73, the campaign reform initiative.

In a brief order signed by Chief Justice Malcolm M. Lucas, the court refused to block further enforcement of the measure to hear claims that the initiative infringes on the rights of free expression and association.

Joseph Remcho, a San Francisco attorney representing Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco), Senate President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles) and the others who brought suit, said the case now may be taken to federal courts.

“This was the broadest challenge yet to Proposition 73,” Remcho said. “We’re quite disappointed the state court is not willing to resolve these very important issues.”

Other challenges to the measure remain in the lower courts and may take months or years to resolve, he noted. “Meanwhile, political fund raising and planning are pretty well paralyzed in California,” he said.

Donation Limits

Among other things, Proposition 73, which was approved by the voters last June, limits the size of donations to state and local candidates by individuals, political action committees and political parties. It also bars the use of previously raised campaign funds on a candidate’s future campaigns and bans taxpayer-financed newsletters and certain other mass mailings.