"The 10th District Court of Appeals in Columbus upheld the commission's decision and refused to interfere with its fine of $25,000 for each day the chamber refuses to comply with subpoenas to reveal which corporations financed the ads.
In 2002 and 2004, the chamber again financed radio and TV ads promoting Chief Justice Moyer and Justices O'Donnell and Stratton, all Republicans. In both election cycles, the chamber voluntarily disclosed its contributors, predominantly corporations and insurance companies.
But it has continued to argue that donors to its $4 million campaign in 2000 had anonymously exercised their First Amendment right to free speech and that they didn't cross the line of expressly advocating the election or defeat of a candidate.
Freshman Justice Maureen O'Connor, also the focus of third-party ads in 2002, has not recused herself from the case.
"It's an appearance problem," said Clifford Arnebeck, attorney for Alliance for Democracy, whose complaints led to the elections commission rulings. He has argued that the court should refuse to hear the chamber's appeal."
My translation: The court today refused to hear the Chamber's appeal. So Arnebeck's position in effect "won". The COC continues to be fined every day it doesn't disclose its donors.
http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041109/NEWS02/411090381