Alexandria, Va. — The Center for Competitive Politics (CCP) is pleased to learn that the Supreme Court today decided to strike down the “matching funds” provision of the Arizona Clean Elections Act.
The court released the decision this morning after three months of deliberation. The decision ruled that the “matching funds” provision chilled First Amendment rights in campaigns by imposing a burden on the speech of privately-funded candidates and independent groups.
Center for Competitive Politics President Sean Parnell released a statement today, saying: “The Supreme Court today struck down yet another so-called ‘reform’ measure that stifled free and unfettered political speech. In doing so the Court continued its streak of showing greater deference to the plain meaning of the First Amendment and less interest in schemes to suppress some speech in the interest of favoring the speech of others.”
