FEC Fights Questioning From GOP

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Federal Election Commission ( news - web sites) is fighting a GOP attempt to question it for a case challenging the new campaign finance law.



The commission has asked a federal court in Washington to free it from having to answer the Republican National Committee ( news - web sites)'s questions, which range from the identities of anyone with evidence that political parties are skirting campaign contribution limits to proof that spending by state and local party committees is corrupting federal candidates.

The commission contends the RNC's queries are overly broad, try to force the FEC to reveal its strategy to defend the law, and can be addressed in part by reviewing public documents the commission has released. The FEC filed a motion late last week asking the court to step in.

Meanwhile, the FEC has joined the Justice Department ( news - web sites) and lawmakers in asking the court to force the National Republican Senatorial Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee to hand over fund-raising documents. Neither congressional committee is suing to try to overturn the law.

The law, taking effect Nov. 6, will bar the national party committees from raising the unlimited contributions known as "soft money" from unions, corporations and others, and will restrict political advertising as elections approach.

On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge William Pauley III in New York ordered the co-author of a study on political ads to answer questions from lawyers for Sen. Mitch McConnell ( news, bio, voting record), R-Ky., one of those suing to try to strike down the law on First Amendment grounds.