The election-law police are all the time in search of new methods to restrict political speech, and their subsequent sufferer could also be public-interest legislation corporations. That’s now being put to the take a look at in Texas, the place the state Ethics Fee might resolve Thursday whether or not a legislation agency might be barred from providing pro-bono authorized assist to a candidate.
Below the fee’s draft advisory opinion, a public-interest agency that gives free authorized providers to a candidate can be making an in-kind marketing campaign contribution. Authorized billing provides up rapidly, so any agency that supplied pro-bono assist would additionally threat a change in its tax-exempt standing and disclosure of its donors.
