Judge Hears Arguments On Campaign Restrictions

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — It's now up to a federal judge in New Orleans to decide whether to put a challenge to campaign finance restrictions on a faster track to the U.S. Supreme Court.

U.S. District Judge Ginger Berrigan heard arguments Monday by attorneys for Republican officials challenging the restrictions and from Federal Election Commission attorneys defending them. Republicans want Berrigan to send key issues in the case directly to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals without a district court-level trial.

Berrigan did not indicate when she would rule in the lawsuit, one of several pending challenges to campaign finance law.

The New Orleans suit challenges limits on what state and national parties can spend in coordinated efforts for a candidate.

In U.S. House races, state and national parties can each spend around $42,000 on a campaign in which they work together. They cannot consult with each other on money spent beyond that limit.

State party officials complained during U.S. Rep. Joseph Cao's 2008 campaign that the restriction can lead to money being wasted on duplicative efforts or conflicting messages.