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October 8, 2013

Supreme Court Hears Arguments in Key Campaign Finance Case 
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The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments today in a major
campaign finance case that is being referred to as "the next Citizens
United." The case, Mc Cutcheon v. Federal Election Commission, could
undermine most of the remaining rules curbing massive spending by
wealthy donors. Currently, individuals can spend no more than $123,200
directly on candidates, political parties and political action
committees in a single two-year election cycle. That cap includes a
limit of $48,600 on direct donations to candidates. But the Republican
National Committee, Senate Minority Leader Mitch Mc Connell and
Republican businessman Shaun Mc Cutcheon want the Supreme Court to throw
out the aggregate limits, saying they violate free speech. The case
marks the first major challenge to campaign finance rules since the 2010
Citizens United decision, which opened the floodgates for unlimited
corporate spending on elections. In a statement, longtime campaign
finance advocate Fred Wertheimer said repealing the caps at stake in the
Mc Cutcheon case could "recreate the system of legalized bribery that
existed prior to the Watergate campaign finance scandals.”

 

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