On April 25, the U.S. Supreme Court announced it would not take up Gaspee Project v. Mederos, a lawsuit challenging Rhode Island’s campaign finance disclosure regulations. The court’s refusal to hear the appeal means a lower court ruling upholding the state’s law will stand.
Background
Rhode Island law requires organizations that spend more than $1,000 per year on independent expenditures or electioneering communications file a report with the Board of Elections disclosing all donors who contribute more than $1,000. Affected organizations must also register with the Board, provide the name and address of the person or group responsible for the expenditure, and list the names of their five largest donors from the previous year.
