Koch Brothers Group Can't Keep Donor List From California

California can ask a nonprofit group started by conservative billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch for the names and addresses of its donors, but the state can’t publicly disclose that information.

A federal appeals court on Monday overturned a lower-court judge who said California Attorney General Kamala Harris can’t seek the information from the Americans for Prosperity Foundation pending the outcome of a lawsuit over whether the donor data it already gives the Internal Revenue Service needs to be shared with the state.

A three-judge panel said in an unanimous decision that the organization, which promotes causes such as limiting the size and power of government, didn’t show it has reason to fear disclosure of the information the attorney general requires for enforcing laws on charitable organizations.

“To the extent the district court found actual chilling or a reasonable probability of harassment from confidential disclosure to the attorney general, those findings are clearly erroneous,” according to the ruling.

Harris, a Democrat, is running for the U.S. Senate.

The case is Americans for Prosperity Foundation v. Harris, 15-55446, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (San Francisco).