Today in Supreme Court History: January 21, 2010

1/21/2010: Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decided.

 

Comments

[JoeFromtheBronx]

Solicitor General Kagan's first case.

The opinion did not strike down all the regulations. Some regulations, violators punished by law, were upheld. Disclosure and disclaimer laws, a form for forced speech, are constitutional.

On some level, on principle, this seems worse than a law that allows speech, even if funded by for-profit corporations, but determines the funding stream must be channeled.

Taking the overheated rhetoric used by some, speech is CENSORED! if such disclaimer and disclosure laws are not in place. And it doesn't matter if the funding is done through a PAC.

I personally wouldn't use such rhetoric. Speech is regulated in various ways, including copyrights and such regulations such as limiting what licensed individuals like a physician or lawyer can say. But some do favor such language so YMMV.