Federal court rules Koch-linked group must disclose donors to California

A federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that the charity Americans for Prosperity (AFP) Foundation, which is linked to billionaire Charles Koch, must disclose its donors to California officials.

The decision, from a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, reversed a lower court ruling issued last year, according to The Washington Post.

California state law requires charities to report their donors to the state attorney general — the same information that groups disclose to the IRS. 

{mosads}The AFP Foundation is a sister organization of Americans for Prosperity, the political arm of the conservative Koch network.

Critics of the California disclosure requirements say they effectively limit political speech and deter donors from giving to charities, while proponents, including California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, say the state’s practice keeps charities from engaging in fraud.

A spokesman for the AFP Foundation told the Post that the group will “seek further review,” but it is unclear if the group will appeal the decision and seek to take the case to the Supreme Court.