Citizens United v FEC: Campaign Finance
The Case Itself: Citizens United, a conservative nonprofit, wanted to air a documentary attacking Hillary Clinton within 30 days of the 2008 Democratic primary. The McCain-Feingold Act banned corporate-funded "electioneering communications" in that window. The Court could have ruled narrowly -- exempting nonprofits or documentaries -- but instead struck down the entire framework of corporate spending limits.
The Spending Explosion: Before Citizens United, outside spending in federal elections totaled about $338 million (2008 cycle). By 2024, outside spending hit $4.5 billion -- a 13-fold increase in 16 years. Super PACs, which didn't exist before 2010, spent $2.7 billion in 2024 alone.
McCutcheon v. FEC (2014): The Roberts Court continued the pattern, striking down aggregate contribution limits. Chief Justice Roberts wrote that government regulation of political speech is "suspect" -- further narrowing what counts as corruption to only the most explicit bribery.
Citizens United v FEC: Campaign Finance
The Case Itself: Citizens United, a conservative nonprofit, wanted to air a documentary attacking Hillary Clinton within 30 days of the 2008 Democratic primary. The McCain-Feingold Act banned corporate-funded "electioneering communications" in that window. The Court could have ruled narrowly -- exempting nonprofits or documentaries -- but instead struck down the entire framework of corporate spending limits.
The Spending Explosion: Before Citizens United, outside spending in federal elections totaled about $338 million (2008 cycle). By 2024, outside spending hit $4.5 billion -- a 13-fold increase in 16 years. Super PACs, which didn't exist before 2010, spent $2.7 billion in 2024 alone.
McCutcheon v. FEC (2014): The Roberts Court continued the pattern, striking down aggregate contribution limits. Chief Justice Roberts wrote that government regulation of political speech is "suspect" -- further narrowing what counts as corruption to only the most explicit bribery.
Citizens United v FEC: Campaign Finance
The Case Itself: Citizens United, a conservative nonprofit, wanted to air a documentary attacking Hillary Clinton within 30 days of the 2008 Democratic primary. The McCain-Feingold Act banned corporate-funded "electioneering communications" in that window. The Court could have ruled narrowly -- exempting nonprofits or documentaries -- but instead struck down the entire framework of corporate spending limits.
The Spending Explosion: Before Citizens United, outside spending in federal elections totaled about $338 million (2008 cycle). By 2024, outside spending hit $4.5 billion -- a 13-fold increase in 16 years. Super PACs, which didn't exist before 2010, spent $2.7 billion in 2024 alone.
McCutcheon v. FEC (2014): The Roberts Court continued the pattern, striking down aggregate contribution limits. Chief Justice Roberts wrote that government regulation of political speech is "suspect" -- further narrowing what counts as corruption to only the most explicit bribery.