First clash of parties in court battle

July 25, 2002

ATLANTA: The Southeastern Legal Foundation, chief funder and co-counsel in the McConnell, et al v. FEC, FCC omnibus constitutional challenge against the McCain-Feingold Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA), today calls on the federal government to "cease stonewalling on legitimate discovery."

Five of the 71 plaintiffs in the McConnell case today will argue Motions to Compel the federal government to comply with discovery requests for documents, legislative information, and witness lists in the District of Columbia federal district court (2 pm, E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse, Courtroom 11). The plaintiffs - including U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Republican National Committee, the National Rifle Association, and SLF - maintain they have fully compled with U.S. Justice Department requests.

"Even as our plaintiffs have fully responded to invasive federal government demands for information, the feds have stonewalled on similar requests from the plaintiffs," said Phil Kent, SLF President. "This cannot stand. The federal court rules apply both directions."

"The federal government has admitted difficulty making a case to defend the constitutionality of the BCRA," said Kent. "Nevertheless, they must comply with legitimate discovery requests."

"If the federal courts would treat our highly protected First Amendment political speech rights with the same tender care they treated virtual child porn, the McConnell case would be over."

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