Enquirer Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - For years, reformers and some members of Congress fought to rein in the power of special interest money in politics. Finally this year, after Enron and other corporate scandals, Congress passed the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002. It is sometimes called the McCain-Feingold law after its principal authors, Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona and Democratic Sen. Russell Feingold of Wisconsin.

The law, which took effect Nov. 6, bans the unlimited contributions that unions, corporations and wealthy individuals made to the national political parties, known as "soft money."

It also bars outside groups from using their treasuries to buy election-season TV ads that attack or support federal candidates.

Congress' leading opponent of the reform measure was Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who said the charges of corruption were false and the bill would limit free speech.

In September, he and other plaintiffs - including the political parties - filed suit to have the law declared unconstitutional.

A three-judge panel of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia is hearing the suit. A ruling is expected later this month or early next year, but any decision is expected to be appealed to the Supreme Court and decided there.

Since April, lawyers have been engaged in discovery, a routine part of any case in which witnesses provide sworn depositions and documents. Among those are previously internal party and fund-raising documents from the Ohio GOP.

Many of the documents and depositions, including one from Ohio Republican Party chairman Robert T. Bennett, remain sealed.