Greenstein: Court Decision Will Reopen 'Issue Ad' Floodgates

GREENSTEIN: SHORT-SIGHTED FEDERAL COURT DECISION
WILL REOPEN 'ISSUE AD' FLOODGATES

(MONROE TWP.) - Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein today assailed the U.S. Supreme Court's decision that she said would open the political floodgates and inundate the state's voters with countless "issue ads" timed to influence elections.

"New Jersey's voters have made it clear they do not want the airwaves bombarded by outside-interests groups as Election Day approaches," said Greenstein (D-Middlesex/Mercer).  "Unfortunately, today's decision flies in the face of the public's desire to see and hear fewer issue ads.  The Court today gave electoral integrity a back seat to unbridled special interest electioneering."

In a 5-4 decision, the Court ruled that a Wisconsin special interest group should have been allowed to air ads during the last two months of the 2004 election season that asked voters to contact the state's senators - one of whom was facing reelection - to urge them specifically not to hold up a presidential judicial nominee.

The decision substantially weakens federal limits on issue ads - advertisements that aim to cast candidates in either a positive or negative light without explicitly urging their election or defeat - codified under the landmark McCain-Feingold campaign finance reforms.  The decision voids part of the law that prohibited the airing of issue ads that mention a candidate by name and air 30 days before a primary election or 60 days before a general election.

Greenstein - a longtime proponent of both campaign finance reform and an earlier New Jersey presidential primary - said the ruling means New Jersey's voters should expect to see numerous issue ads over the winter, as special interest groups seek to influence the outcome of the state's new February 5, 2008, presidential primary.

"New Jersey's earlier presidential primary was supposed to give the state's voters a louder voice in national politics," said Greenstein.  "Sadly, those voters now will have to strain to be heard above the din of unrestricted third-party issue ads."

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