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Court strikes down New York law exposing nonprofit lobbying groups' donors

Oct 02, 2019 12:48 am
Chris Bragg reports for the Albany Times Union on Sept. 30 a federal judge struck down a new state law requiring nonprofit organizations lobbying in the state capitol to disclose more information about their donors. The law was passed at 3 a.m. on the final night of the 2016 legislative session, and was described at the time as a way for the Cuomo administration to take on government reform groups that had been critical of the governor. Federal Judge Denise Cote in the Southern District of New York wrote, "The First Amendment rights to publicly discuss and advocate on issues of public interest, and to do so anonymously, have long been recognized," Cote wrote. The state law "sweeps far more broadly than any disclosure law that has survived judicial scrutiny." Attorney Randy Mastro working for the government reform group Citizens Union agreed. "This state law targeted not-for-profit 'good government' groups that have had the temerity to raise ethics issues and try to get the government to do better," Mastro said in a statement. "It's blatantly unconstitutional, and we are therefore grateful to the court for invalidating it." In a statement, Cuomo spokesperson Rich Azzopardi said there could be an appeal. "Everyone preaches transparency until transparency shows up on their own front door," Azzopardi said. "We are reviewing this decision and considering next steps, including appeal. But the question remains: What is the advocacy industrial complex hiding?" Read more about this story in the Albany Times Union.