James Madison Center for Free Speech
1 South 6th Street
Terre Haute, IN 47807

 

www.jamesmadisoncenter.org

 

PRESS RELEASE
April 18, 2006
Contact: James Bopp, Jr.
Phone: 812-232-2434; Fax 812-235-3685
jboppjr@aol.com

 

 

The United States District Court for the District of Columbia today ordered the hearing of arguments for the motion of the Christian Civic League of Maine for preliminary injunction for Monday, April 24, 2006 at 2:00 p.m.. CCL, a tax-exempt Maine corporation, filed suit on April 3 to secure preliminary injunction to allow it to broadcast a grassroots lobbying advertisement in support of the federal Marriage Protection Amendment after May 14, 2006, when the BCRA’s “blackout period” prohibiting such broadcasts will begin. The suit also seeks permanent injunction allowing broadcast of similar ads during future blackout periods.

 

James Bopp, Jr., lead counsel for the CCL, notes the apparent speed with which the case is proceeding. “The court sees the urgency of the spot we’re in. If the upcoming vote passes before CCL can safely broadcast its ad, the opportunity and the First Amendment rights that are attached will be forever lost.” “Hopefully, CCL and similar groups will soon be able to broadcast such grassroots lobbying ads without fear of prosecution or intrusive investigations by the FEC,” Bopp adds.

 

The hearing will be held before a three-judge panel consisting of Judge Judith W. Rogers of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, and Judges Louis F. Oberdorfer and Colleen Kollar-Kotelly of the D.C. District Court.

 

James Bopp, Jr. has a national campaign finance and election law practice. He is General Counsel for the James Madison Center for Free Speech.