Judge dismisses challenge to lobbying disclosure law

The National Association of Manufacturers suffered a major blow Friday in its legal battle against the new ethics and lobbying law.

Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly of the U.S. District Court dismissed the group’s challenge to a key provision of the law. The group took issue with the clause that would require disclosure of the member companies of “stealth lobbying” coalitions.

{mosads}Part of the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act, the measure would require public disclosure of members of such coalitions who gave at least $5,000 every quarter to the group and participated actively in lobbying campaigns.

The NAM argued the provision was constitutionally vague, hindering protections for free association and speech, and could lead to harassment of its member companies. However, in a 57-page opinion, Judge Kollar-Kotelly disagreed, saying the clause was “narrowly tailored to serve compelling government interests, and is neither vague on its face nor is applied to the NAM.”

The suit was challenged by a number of public interest groups who lobbied for the law’s passage last year.

“The court rejected NAM’s exaggerated argument that the disclosure of this funding would unconstitutionally burden their speech and lead to reprisals and harassment of their membership,” said J. Gerald Herbert, executive director of the Campaign Legal Center, in a statement. “The public deserves to know who is shelling out large sums of money to push, scuttle or alter legislation before Congress and this decision ensures this will happen.”

Officials with the NAM could not be reached Friday evening.

Disclosure of such coalitions’ members will be made public for the first time on April 21 under the new ethics law.