Jan. 21, 2010: Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission Ruling

On January 21, 2010, in a 5–4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court determined that the government could not infringe upon the First Amendment rights of corporations to spend unlimited funds on electoral campaigns. The Court’s landmark decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission is what Tim Lau with the Brennan Center for Justice calls “a controversial decision that reversed century-old campaign finance restrictions and enabled corporations and other outside groups to spend unlimited funds on elections.”

Lau continues,

In the court’s opinion, Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote that limiting “independent political spending” from corporations and other groups violates the First Amendment right to free speech. . . . With its decision, the Supreme Court overturned election spending restrictions that date back more than 100 years. . . . As a result, corporations can now spend unlimited funds on campaign advertising if they are not formally “coordinating” with a candidate or political party.

“Indivisible” by Barry Blitt. Source: Vanity Fair

Since the passage of Citizens United, dark money groups and corporations have continued to funnel funds to politicians and political parties most willing to do their bidding, wreaking havoc for the 99 percent and consolidating money and power in the hands of the few — leading many to see the United States as an oligarchy.