RI Center for Freedom Files Lawsuit Against State Campaign Finance Law

RI Center for Freedom Files Lawsuit Against State Campaign Finance Law

The Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity has partnered with the Liberty Justice Center (LJC) to bring a lawsuit against an unconstitutional donor disclosure law in the state.

"The constitutional rights of Rhode Islanders have been under constant and serious threat for decades. Rather than support open and free debate, this law shuts it down. It rigs the system to discourage organized issue-advocacy and chills free speech,” said Mike Stenhouse, the Center’s CEO.

The partnership comes months after the Center added former justice Robert Flanders to its Board of Directors.

GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST

Flanders will serve as local counsel for the Liberty Justice Center. 

"One way to better inform the voting public about issues facing our communities is to ask the courts to remove laws that inhibit a full and informed debate. We should restore full 1st-Amendment rights and encourage everyone to share their ideas and perspectives without fear of retaliation or harassment," said Flanders.

Flanders served as the GOP candidate in Rhode Island’s 2018 U.S. Senate race.

The Lawsuit

The lawsuit challenges a Rhode Island law, R.I.G.L. § 17-25.3-1, which requires information about donors who support nonpartisan, issue advocacy organizations to be disclosed to the government when the group engages in issue-advocacy during certain time periods.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are The Gaspee Project, a 501(c)4 nonpartisan advocacy organization in Rhode Island, and the Illinois Opportunity Project, a 501(c)4 social-welfare organization.

The Gaspee Project et al. v. Mederos, was filed yesterday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island.