State Sues Again Over Political Phone Calls
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9/26/2006
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The Associated Press State & Local Wire
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The state attorney general's office is suing to stop a Democratic-leaning group from making automated phone calls just one week after it filed a similar lawsuit to stop a group from calling on behalf of Republicans.
The lawsuit was filed Monday in southern Indiana's Harrison County against Washington, D.C.-based American Family Voices, accusing it of violating state law by making prerecorded phone calls for political purposes.
"Again, this is an instance where citizens have stepped up and provided us with concrete information which allows us to take action," Attorney General Steve Carter said. "I'm hopeful groups are getting the message that enforcement is happening in Indiana."
A message seeking comment was left at the offices of American Family Voices.
The lawsuit stems from complaints about calls to voters in the 9th District by the group that criticized the views or voting record of Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Sodrel.
Carter sent a letter last month to state Democratic and Republican parties informing them that a 1988 state law prohibited automated phone calls for political purposes. Carter promised to enforce the law, even though it had been widely ignored during past political campaigns.
The state sued the California-based Economic Freedom Fund on Sept. 18 to force it to stop making automated calls attacking Democratic congressional candidate Baron Hill, who is challenging Sodrel in the closely watched 9th District.
A hearing in that case is set for Sept. 27 in Brown Circuit Court in Nashville.
FreeEats.com, the Virginia company that made those automated political phone calls, responded by suing the state of Indiana, saying its ban on such calls is unconstitutional because it restrains free speech and interstate commerce.
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