Political coalition sues over House speaker law
AUSTIN — A coalition of groups from the political right and left went to federal court Wednesday to challenge a state law designed to prevent outside influences in the selection of the Texas House speaker.
The Free Market Foundation, Texas Eagle Forum PAC and American Civil Liberties Union of Texas are asking a judge to prevent officials from enforcing the 1973 law banning organizations or groups of persons from expending anything of value to aid or defeat the election of a speaker candidate.
The law allows individuals to make contributions to candidates for speaker, but they cannot spend more than $100 "for the cost of correspondence to aid or defeat the election of a speaker candidate."
