Mo. judge tosses part of campaign finance law

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- A judge made final Wednesday his earlier order blocking a law that bars lawmakers from raising money during the legislative session.

Cole County Circuit Judge Richard Callahan in January temporarily blocked the ban on fundraising by lawmakers, statewide officials and candidates during the legislative session. The session runs from early January through mid-May.

Wednesday, the judge issued a final judgment saying that provision violates free-speech rights. But he did not throw out the entire underlying bill, which eliminated individual contribution limits.

The judge also tossed out a section of the law that disqualified candidates who are delinquent on property taxes for their home or for a license office. He also threw out a section barring people convicted of state felonies from running. He said those sections violated technical constitutional requirements that prohibit a bill from having too many subjects and from changing from its original purpose.