Full name: Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission
Samuel AlitoAnthony KennedyJohn G. RobertsAntonin ScaliaClarence ThomasStephen BreyerRuth Bader GinsburgSonia SotomayorJohn Paul Stevens Note: Court justices do not represent any political party. The color of each judge's name represents the political party of the president who appointed the judge.
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Understanding Election Campaign Financing
Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (McCain-Feingold)
2002 (HR-2356)
Summary
This Supreme Court ruling effectively allows corporations to make unlimited anonymous donations to political campaigns.
What was the case about?
In 2008, the 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization Citizens United wanted to air a political documentary critical of Hillary Clinton on satellite television. Courts ruled that that the film violated campaign laws because it received corporate contributions and was attempting to influence an election within 30 days of a primary.
How the Supreme Court ruled
The Supreme Court overturned the lower courts in a 5-4 decision, ruling that limits on campaign spending by corporations and unions were unconstitutional. This led to the creation of Super PACs, which could raise unlimited amounts of money - including from corporations - to be spent influencing elections.
Effects
Super PACs are required to list their donors. However, donors can be 501(c)(4) corporations. These nonprofit corporations do not need to list their funders. Therefore, if a large corporation funds a 501(c)(4) corporation, which in turn donates that money to a Super PAC, there is no prescribed way to trace the contribution to the Super PAC back to the corporation.