The
order was signed by U.S. District Judge Thomas Johnston Tuesday.
“The
Supreme Court has ruled that unlimited contributions to independent committees
do not corrupt our elections. I strongly disagree. However, it is still the law
of the land,” said Secretary of State Natalie Tennant in a statement released
Tuesday on the ruling.
The
order concludes a lawsuit that was filed against Tennant last year by
the Stay the Course PAC, as well as corporate and individual contributors who
sought to contribute more than $1,000 to the PAC.
The
lawsuit challenged the constitutionality of West Virginia
Tennant
and PAC Stay the Course West Virginia proposed the order last week. Tennant
agreed not to enforce state laws that limit the contributions.
In
her statement, Tennant said it was time to end the battle in this case.
“Upon
consultation with attorneys from the Secretary of State’s Office and Attorney
General’s Office I have come to the conclusion that it is in the best interest
of West Virginia
Independent
PACs spend their money without any input from a candidate or a candidate’s
committee or political party. Stay the Course sees itself as an
independent PAC, which means it is not affiliated with any candidate,
candidate’s committee, corporation, membership organization or political
party.
Judge
Johnston granted a preliminary injunction August 9, 2012, which stopped
enforcement of the $1,000 contribution limit imposed by the state laws.
The
injunction came shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision
that said it was a violation of the rights of free speech to limit corporate
and labor union campaign contributions.
“To
continue to press what is an unwinnable position will do nothing but run up the
tab for which the state will be responsible and which will not result in the
overturning of ‘Citizens United,’” stated Tennant.
However,
Tennant reassured West Virginia
“West Virginia
