The Associated Press

FRANKFORT - The state Supreme Court has been asked to delay its decision on whether supporters of Gov. Paul Patton might have violated campaign finance rules in the 1995 election.

Lawyers for the defendants, who include Patton chief of staff Andrew "Skipper" Martin, said in their motion that the justices should wait on rulings from federal courts on new federal campaign laws that are similar to the 1995 rules.

Congress last year passed new laws that touch on the matter of coordinating campaign spending with independent groups, which is the crux of the case against Mr. Martin, Patton labor liaison Danny Ross and two former Louisville Teamsters Union officials.

The four were indicted on charges of conspiring to circumvent spending limits in place for the first time in 1995. No trial has been held, pending the challenge to the constitutionality of the law in state courts.

A federal lawsuit is being pursued by Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who has also filed motions in support of the Martin defendants.

The motion, filed Thursday, said if the Kentucky courts rule without a decision in the federal case, it could have to revisit the case because the loser would have grounds for a new appeal.

The Kentucky court heard oral arguments in June on the Martin case, but has not issued a ruling. The next scheduled day for the court to release opinions is Jan. 23.

Attorney General Ben Chandler's office, which is prosecuting Mr. Martin, Mr. Ross, Lon Fields and Robert Winstead, will oppose the motion to delay, according to a spokeswoman. The Attorney General's Office has 10 days to answer the motion.