Longley v. Holahan

Sep 1, 1994
94-1097
Reporters:
,
Before:
Bowman, Loken, Joseph E. Stevens Jr.

BOWMAN, Circuit Judge.

The Republican Victory Club and its co-treasurers ‍‌​‌‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‍(collectively RVC) appeal the District Court‘s denial of their motion for a preliminary injunction. RVC sought to enjoin enforcement of the Minnesota law that forbids political committees or funds from accepting “aggregate contributions from an individual, political committee, or political fund in an amount more than $100 a year.” Minn.Stat. Sec. 10A.27 subd. 12 (Supp.1993).***

We have now resolved, on the ‍‌​‌‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‍merits, constitutional challenges made to section 10A.27 subd. 12 in a companion case, Day v. Holahan, 34 F.3d 1356 (8th Cir.1994), and we have declared that subdivision to be unconstitutional and unenforceable. Therefore the present case is now moot. Accordingly, we dismiss the appeal, vacate the order of the District Court, and remand with instructions that the case be ‍‌​‌‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‍dismissed. See United States v. Munsingwear, Inc., 340 U.S. 36, 39, 71 S.Ct. 104, 106, 95 L.Ed. 36 (1950).

Notes

*
In the companion case of Day v. Holahan, 34 F.3d 1356 (8th Cir.1994), Holahan substituted for Vanne Owens Hayes, who was chairman of the Minnesota Ethical Practices Board when plaintiffs filed suit. On the Court‘s own motion, for consistency between the cases, we ‍‌​‌‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‍have substituted Holahan for Hayes in this case as well
**
The Honorable Joseph E. Stevens, Jr., Chief Judge, United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri, sitting by designation