W.Va. Electioneering Law Challenged

A federal judge could decide today whether to block enforcement of West Virginia's electioneering communications law.

The Center for Individual Freedom argued Wednesday that requiring it to disclose its spending and identify its donors, for ads it wants to run in the state Supreme Court race, is unconstitutional.

Secretary of State Betty Ireland and the state's county prosecutors disagree, citing a 2003 U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the topic.

These officials were joined as parties in the case by three of the four Democratic Supreme Court candidates, the West Virginia Education Association and the state's AFL-CIO. Lawyers for each party got their turn during the two-hour hearing.

The Associated Press has details, as does The Charleston Gazette.