A federal judge says current Illinois law that sets limits on how much political action committees can give candidates, but allows political parties to give as much as they want, is constitutional. The ruling follows a two-day bench trial in a civil lawsuit brought by the conservative Illinois Liberty PAC.
It argued that letting parties and their legislative leaders contribute as much as they want to candidates, while limiting what PACs and individuals can contribute, violates rights to free speech.
Earlier, the same judge in Chicago dismissed other claims in the lawsuit. The trial focused more narrowly on the PAC's objections to spending by legislative caucus committees. Feinerman found they're essentially extensions of parties, so not subject to the law's spending restrictions.
