Arizona Supreme Court upholds dark money law, allows free speech challenge to proceed
The Arizona Supreme Court on Monday dismissed most of the challenges to a voter-approved anti-dark-money law, but allowed one of the challenges from deep-pocketed conservative opponents to move forward. The remaining challenge questions whether disclosing the identities of political donors creates a chilling effect that violates the state constitution.
Since voters in 2022 overwhelmingly approved Proposition 211, the Voters Right to Know Act, proponents of the anonymous campaign spending that has transformed American elections over the past 15 years have challenged its constitutionality. The law’s conservative opponents have argued that forcing disclosure of the source of political spending limits the free speech of wealthy people who want to influence voters, but don’t want those voters to know who is trying to persuade them.
On Monday, months after hearing oral arguments, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled to dismiss a number of the challenges brought against the law, upholding the voter approved initiative. The court agreed to let live a challenge arguing that disclosing the identity of donors chilled free speech under Arizona’s constitution.
The state constitution’s “Speak Freely Clause,” which provides protections to Arizonans’ freedom of speech and the press, was the main focus of the 4-3 opinion released Monday.
https://azmirror.com/2026/06/29/arizona-supreme-court-upholds-dark-money-law-allows-free-speech-challenge-to-proceed/