Maine Makes Its Legal Case for Kneecapping Super PACs

But in federal court today, free speech advocates defended the right of political donors to make unlimited contributions to certain political groups.

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The state of Maine and an allied nonprofit organization want to cap unlimited contributions to super PACs and other big-money political groups. Caroline Brehman/CQ Roll Call via AP

In a federal appeals court in Boston on Wednesday, free speech advocates sparred with the state of Maine and an allied nonprofit organization that want to cap unlimited contributions to super PACs and other big-money political groups.

The state of Maine and Equal Citizens, a nonprofit group founded by Harvard law professor and erstwhile presidential candidate Larry Lessig, are fighting to restore a Maine law capping individual contributions to certain big-spending political groups, such as super PACs, at $5,000.

They’re hoping to take their case all the way to the Supreme Court.