Judge: Citizens United must disclose donor information to NY

“Plaintiffs provide no factual background or support for their conclusory assertions,” the judge said, pointing out that the U.S. Supreme Court six years ago noted that the group has been disclosing its donors for years and has never identified an instance of harassment or retaliation against a donor.

The judge said the 2014 lawsuit, brought by Citizens United and the Citizens United Foundation, “fails to allege that any donor has suffered in the past due to donating, and it fails to allege any fact that could render future negative consequences plausible.”

If the group violates the policy, it could lose its registration and ability to solicit money and face up to a $100-per-day penalty.

In 2010, Citizens United won a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling that lifted restrictions on independent spending by corporations and labour unions, often without disclosing donors. It permitted outside groups known as super political action committees, or super PACs, or nonprofits to take unlimited contributions and spend independently to sway voters.

In a statement, Citizens United general counsel Michael Boos said the organization was “quite disappointed” and was studying its appeal options.

“The gist of Judge Stein’s ruling is that our complaint, which is supplemented by over 100 pages of exhibits and includes a specific example of Schneiderman’s own public statements of extreme hostility toward Citizens United, does not include enough factual details to establish a claim for relief under the First Amendment,” he said.

Yet, he added, the lawsuit was just as detailed as, if not more so than, a similar successful lawsuit against the California attorney general.

He noted that the lawsuit that resulted in the landmark 2010 ruling was tossed out by a lower court judge.

“Lightning just might strike twice,” Boos said.

Schneiderman said the ruling is a “victory for common sense oversight of New York’s vast non-profit sector.”

Larry Neumeister, The Associated Press

by Canadian Press

Judge: Citizens United must disclose donor information to NY

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