NY Judge Rejects Suit To Close Campaign Finance Loophole

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A state judge has rejected a lawsuit seeking to close a loophole in New York campaign finance law that lets wealthy individuals use limited liability companies to secretly give millions of dollars to candidates.

Justice Lisa Fisher writes there have been "numerous attempts" in the Legislature to close it and the matter is best resolved by lawmakers.

But she first rejected the suit on grounds that it's too late to challenge the 1996 decision by the state Board of Elections to treat limited liability companies like individuals.

That lets them donate up to $150,000 a year to a candidate without identifying their owners.

Critics want them subject to the $5,000 corporate limit required to disclose owners.

The suit was brought by New York University's Brennan Center, three state legislators and others.