Manufacturers to appeal disclosure ruling

WASHINGTON, April 14 (UPI) -- The National Association of Manufacturers will appeal a U.S. District Court ruling that dismissed its lawsuit against a lobbying disclosure law.

Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly dismissed the suit Friday that the manufacturers' group had filed seeking to overturn a law requiring coalitions that contribute more than $5,000 or participate in a lobbying campaign to reveal member companies.

"We remain convinced that many of the law's burdensome and intrusive disclosure requirements will have a serious chilling effect on the constitutional rights of our members," The Hill reported association President John Engler as saying in a statement.

Kollar-Kotelly said the disclosure provisions were narrowly defined. The association said it will ask for a temporary suspension of the clause until it can appeal.

The law requires the affected coalitions to reveal their membership by next Monday, the Hill reported.