U.S. Supreme Court strikes down limits on campaign spending
It is a new world for politics, with the 2010 campaign likely to see even more corporate money in play.
In Citizens United v. FEC, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the requirement of the McCain Feingold campaign finance act that corporations channel their campaign spending into political action committees rather than directly funding "electrioneering communications." The ruling overturned two prior decisions by the Court, a 2003 decision upholding the same provision, and a 1990 decision upholding a state law with a similar restriction.
The McCain-Feingold provision requiring political messages to disclose their funder was upheld. The ruling also does not affect the longstanding federal law preventing corporations from directly donating to federal political candidates.
Kennedy authored the 5-4 decision issued January 21, 2009. Stevens authored the dissent, joined by Ginsberg, Breyer, and Sotomayor.
