The State Elections Commission in a July 31 emergency meeting approved a motion to “actively defend constitutionality of matching funds law passed by the Legislature.” Allen Loughry, a Republican running for West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, was the only candidate for that office hoping to take part in the state’s public financing pilot project. The Commission decided in a July 17 vote to not release public financing funds to Loughry.
The next day, Michael Callaghan, a lawyer and former chairman of the West Virginia Democratic Party, filed a lawsuit in federal court against the West Virginia secretary of state and members of the State Election Commission, saying in the filing that the matching funds provision of the public finance project has chilled his political speech rights.
Full Article: Election Commission questions constitutionality of public financ – Business, Government Legal News from throughout WV.
The Voting News
A News Service of the Verified Voting Foundation
