#OnThisDay the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) ruled on the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission case and made a controversial decision that reversed existing campaign finance restrictions and enabled corporations and other outside groups to spend unlimited funds on elections. #DarkMoney
"Prevention of improper corporate influence in the electoral process...is a pillar of our modern democracy" -- LWV Amicus Brief #DarkMoney
"Voters are supposed to be at the center of our political process. For more than two centuries, America’s constitutional democracy has been moving in the direction of broader enfranchisement and more meaningful political participation by American citizens. After the Civil War, the 15th Amendment to the Constitution guaranteed the right to vote to citizens regardless of race or color. The 19th Amendment provided voting rights to women, the 24th to poor citizens and the 26th to young adults.
On the other hand, our Constitution does not reflect a similar solicitude for corporate participation; indeed our constitutional history reflects a growing concern over the influence of corporations, and the distinction between the legal protections afforded to living persons and corporations has been part of our constitutional law from the Founding." -- LWV Commentary on Citizens United
LWVUS Amicus Brief: https://www.lwv.org/sites/default/files/Amicus_cfr.CitizenUnited.pdf
LWVUS Commentary on Citizens United: https://www.lwv.org/money-politics/league-commentary-citizens-united-v-fec-case-supreme-court
Brennan Institute: https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/citizens-united-explained