Ohio Right to Life Society v. Ohio Elections Commission Resource Page

Complaint (5/20/08)

Preliminary Injunction Decision (9/05/08)

Press release to Ohio media (5/20/08)

Press release to national media (5/20/08)

Press release on preliminary injunction ruling (9/05/08)

News Stories:

"U.S. District Court Strikes Ohio's Limits On Corporate Funding of Pre-Election Ads" ($) Bureau of National Affairs (9/10/08)

"Ohio Right to Life wins court ruling allowing advocacy groups to use names of political candidates within 30 days election" PolitickerOH (9/09/08)

"JUDGE SAYS GROUP CAN AIR ADS OVER CLONING BILL NEAR ELECTION DAY DESPITE STATE LAW PROHIBITION" ($) Gongwer News Service (9/08/08)

"Ohio group seeks to overturn pre-election ban on certain ads" Akron Beacon Journal, Zanesville Times Recorder, Huntington Herald-Dispatch, Lancaster Eagle Gazette, Coshocton Tribune, Bucyrus Telegraph Forum, Cincinnati Fox 19, Columbus Fox 28, WTOL Toledo, WTDN Dayton, NBC Columbus, MSNBC, Dayton Daily News, Columbus Dispatch Politics (5/21/08)

"RIGHT TO LIFE FILES FEDERAL LAWSUIT TO OVERTURN OHIO LAW BLOCKING ISSUE ADVOCACY NEAR ELECTION DAY" ($) Gongwer News Service (5/21/08) 

Opinion pieces and editorials:

"Loosen state law on ads before elections" Cincinnati Enquirer (May 30, 2008)

"Ohio's law limiting issue ads is an affront to free speech" Cleveland Plain Dealer (May 31, 2008)

Commentary from election law community:

More Soft Money Hard Law (Bob Bauer) (5/21/08): The Center for Competitive Politics, hoping to expand the protections afforded issue advertising by WRTL II, has chosen Ohio for the next field of battle and reporting requirements are its primary target.  Ohio’s law also subjects the advertising to source restrictions, within thirty days of an election, but CCP has the fresh club of WRTL II to bat these away, on behalf of Ohio Right to Life.  The reporting issues represent the true frontier here, and CCP has picked its fight carefully...The additional claim against reporting is... framed with care in its Complaint...If it wins, however, it will have won more than a skirmish...