Government lawyers ask Supreme Court to keep ban on unlimited ’soft money’ contributions

Gov’t asks court to keep ’soft money’ ban

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is asking the Supreme Court to let stand a ban keeping political parties from raising unlimited campaign contributions.

This represents the latest skirmish following the high court’s decision to unleash corporate and labor spending in federal elections.

The Republican Party wants to undo the ban on the raising of soft money — unlimited donations from corporations, unions and others — by national party committees. They say that the high court’s decision in Citizens United changed everything.

But Acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal argued in court filings Monday that the case is about independent electoral advocacy rather than contributions.

He urged the court to retain the ban.