WASHINGTON — Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and the Republican National Committee joined Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on Wednesday in urging the Supreme Court to strike down a campaign funding law that bars winning candidates from collecting checks from donors to pay off personal campaign debts of more than $250,000.
It's the latest effort by Republicans to free election money from limits set by Congress in decades past. And this one stands a good chance of winning in a court with six conservatives, all appointed by Republicans.
During Wednesday's argument, however, a Justice Department lawyer said the limit on postelection contributions prevents an obvious form of corruption. Otherwise, newly elected members of the Senate and House could solicit "gifts" of money to pay off their personal campaign loans.
