WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown hailed a decision this week by the U.S. Supreme Court to reject a request from a political nonprofit to delay a federal judge’s ruling that could lead to revealing the names of donors in future elections.

In 2012, the independent nonprofit organization known as Crossroads GPS spent $6 million in television commercials in Ohio in an effort to defeat Brown, a Democrat who that year won re-election over Republican Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel.

“If those billionaire special interests want to try and drown out the votes of everyday Ohioans, they ought to have the guts to at least show their faces,” Brown said.

A federal judge in Washington last month gave the Federal Election Commission 45 days to develop new regulations to require nonprofits to identify the names of donors who have contributed more than $200 each to their organizations.

The ruling does not require the donors to the anti-Brown effort to have their names revealed. It impacts future elections depending on how the FEC writes the rule.

When Crossroads said federal election regulations did not require them to reveal the names of donors who financed the anti-Brown effort, the Washington-based Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics filed a lawsuit against the FEC and asked that a regulation be written to require nonprofits in future elections to reveal their donors.

Crossroads appealed that ruling to the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, and the case has not been heard. But the Supreme Court this week denied a request by Crossroads to halt the judge’s order before the November election.

Brown was not part of the suit. Crossroads was formed by former White House adviser and Republican strategist Karl Rove.

Chris Pack, a spokesman for Crossroads, said, “While we are disappointed the Supreme Court did not take this opportunity to ensure regulatory clarity for nonpolitical organizations that lawfully engage in election activity, we are confident we can navigate through the current morass and comply with the law, as we always have.”

Brown again is seeking re-election, this year against U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci, R-Wadsworth.

jtorry@dispatch.com

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