© Provided by Washington Examiner A pro-democracy Chinese advocacy group took its grievances to the Supreme Court, arguing that a California law requiring donor disclosures on nonprofit organizations and dark-money groups would endanger the lives of Chinese dissidents.
The law in question requires donors to disclose their identities to the California attorney general's office, with the aim to crack down on dark-money political donations. Opponents argued that the law infringes on First Amendment protections, and Citizen Power Initiatives for China, which backed the suit, said anonymity is important to help foster activism toward a more democratic state in China.
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"Exposure of a group's members and donors can subject them to significant reprisals by the public and therefore dissuade further membership and donations - a fact that this Court has acknowledged when marking the freedom of association's contours," the brief stated.
First Liberty Institute, which filed the brief on behalf of Citizen Power Initiatives, argued that the law gives the government too much private information, especially of those who are nationals to countries with autocratic regimes.
"For our client and its supporters, maintaining privacy is a matter of life and death," Kelly Shackelford, president and chief counsel for First Liberty Institute, said in a statement. "In today's cancel culture, people know it's unwise to trust our own government with their private information, let alone China. It is vital that the Justices protect donors' privacy to shield them from threats, harassment, and worse."
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Others who have raised concerns about the disclosure law include the American Civil Liberties Union, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and the Human Rights Campaign, which cited that the law could lead to exposing private information through data leaks.
The case has not yet been scheduled for argument, but oral arguments could begin as soon as April. A decision is expected to follow this summer.
Tags: News, China, First Amendment, Free Speech, Supreme Court, Court, Donors, Dark money, California, Xavier Becerra
Original Author: Mica Soellner
Original Location: Chinese dissidents urge Supreme Court to strike down California donor disclosure law