WV Lawmakers Writing Bill to Limit Giving to So-Called 527 Groups

Charleston Gazette, Scott Finn, Jan. 10

Call it the anti-Don Blankenship bill.

A committee of legislators is drafting legislation to limit independent spending for or against a candidate, like the $2.4 million Massey Energy Co. CEO Blankenship gave to one group to help defeat state Supreme Court Justice Warren McGraw. (Ed. note: Blankenship spent $3.5 million overall in his crusade to oust McGraw.)

The draft bill would limit at $2,000 the contributions any one person could give to a group making an "electioneering communication" close to an election.

The state of Vermont has limits on contributions to such independent campaign groups, known as 527s because of the section of IRS code that regulates them.

The Second Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals upheld the limits, as long as they applied to advertisements about specific candidates and not about issues, said Legislative lawyer Brian Skinner.