Ninth Circuit Reinstates Montana Campaign Contribution Limits (Updated)

With less than a month until the November elections, a federal judge struck down the state’s limits on campaign contributions, finding that existing limits prevent candidates from mounting effective campaigns. The case was brought by conservative activists, corporations, and Republican groups. On appeal, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reinstated the law and requested that the district court judge share his reasoning. The judge issued a 38-page conclusion in response. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the Ninth Circuit’s decision, leaving the limits in place for November.