Judge sides with Russell Simmons and Ben Chavis over lobbying fines

In a victory for hip-hop  entrepreneur Russell Simmons, a judge declared part of New York's lobbying law unconstitutional yesterday, ruling that regulators do not give those facing possible penalties the right to be heard. The state's lobbying commission was investigating Simmons and Benjamin Chavis, the former head of the  NAACP, for their roles in a June 4, 2003, rally against New York's harsh drug laws. The commission contended that the event was lobbying and that the two had to disclose how much was spent. Simmons, founder of Def Jam  Recordings and head of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, and Chavis have said the rally was simply the exercise of free speech. [more ]