Bloomberg BNA: “The Socialist Workers Party’s three-decade exemption from campaign finance disclosure rules would come to an end under a draft advisory opinion (AO 2012-38) set to be considered Feb. 14 by the Federal Election Commission. The draft, released late Feb. 7, said the recent history of the party and the hardball nature of modern campaigns means the party’s special treatment under campaign finance laws is no longer justified. The draft was one of two alternative rulings that FEC staffers prepared for consideration by the agency’s commissioners at the next FEC open meeting. It would take the votes of at least four of the five current commissioners to approve a final ruling.”

The issue is important not only for minor parties but also for the broader debate about harassment and whether the threat of harassment justifies broader exemptions from campaign finance disclosure.