Super PAC Files Lawsuit Challenging New York State’s Campaign Finance Spending Limits

Earlier this week, a political action committee that is supporting Republican Joseph Lhota’s campaign for New York City mayor filed a federal lawsuit challenging the state’s $150,000 campaign-contribution limit.

The New York Progress and Protection PAC says that the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision prohibits states from limiting individual, corporate and union contributions to independent political action committees.

The group, which wants to spend more than $150,000 in support of Lhota’s candidacy, says that similar spending caps have been struck down in nine other states.

A hearing on the case has been scheduled for October 8.

Read news coverage of the lawsuit from the NY Times, NY1, the Daily News and the NY Post.

Anyone who is interested in this issue should also be aware that on the same day, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in McCutcheon v. FEC.

McCutheon is challenging the overall contribution limits for individual donors that Congress enacted in the mid-1970’s. For the 2013-14 election cycle, an individual can give up to $123,200, with no more than $48,600 given to candidate committees and no more than $74,600 given to PACs and parties.

If the Supreme Court strikes down the federal spending caps, it could hand down a broad decision that impacts state-level spending limits as well.