Green Party of Connecticut v. Garfield (Lenge)

Status
Closed
Updated

At a Glance

These consolidated cases, initiated in 2006, challenged the constitutionality of Connecticut’s campaign finance reform legislation, which included a public financing system and pay-to-play restrictions which prohibited contributions from lobbyists, state contractors, and members of their immediate families. In a 2010 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit upheld most of the public funding program and the ban on contributions by state contractors...

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About this Case

These consolidated cases, initiated in 2006, challenged the constitutionality of Connecticut’s campaign finance reform legislation, which included a public financing system and pay-to-play restrictions which prohibited contributions from lobbyists, state contractors, and members of their immediate families.  In a 2010 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit upheld most of the public funding program and the ban on contributions by state contractors. However, the court found that the “trigger provision” in the public financing law and the ban on lobbyist contributions were unconstitutional.  In August 2010, the Connecticut state legislature amended its campaign finance law in response to the Second Circuit decision.

The Legal Center served as co-counsel to the defendant-intervenors in the district court.

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Documents

District Court

Decision

Document

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