The New York State Board of Elections clamped down on the efforts of grassroots citizens from participating in the political process. In a move reminiscent of Russia’s blogging law, the board’s “emergency regulations” require groups to register with New York as a political group if they reach an audience of more than 500 people with a political message. Scott Blackburn, a research fellow at the Center for Competitive Politics, said, “The board has full discretion to decide whose ads are acceptable and who to throw the book at. As the recent IRS scandal has made abundantly clear, government bureaucrats can’t fairly assess what groups have the right to speak. The opportunity for politically malicious prosecutions in New York will be rampant.” More…