Southern District Judge Paul Crotty (See Profile) Thursday said decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit left him with no choice but to strike down New York State’s $150,000 limit on individual donations to independent political action committees.

Crotty in October had refused to enjoin the limitations imposed by New York and denied a preliminary injunction sought by supporters of Republican mayoral candidate Joseph Lhota (NYLJ, Oct. 18, 2013).