The U.S. Supreme Court recently heard reargument in an important First Amendment case, Citizens United v. Federal Election Comm’n. The case concerns Hillary: The Movie, a film made by a conservative group called Citizens United. The group has argued that it has a First Amendment right to distribute the film, notwithstanding the campaign finance law restricting “electioneering communications” financed by corporate funds.
When Citizens United was first argued, the focus was on the narrow distinctions between this case and the regulations the Court has previously approved. The Court ordered reargument on the broader question of whether it should overrule two precedents — Austin v. Michigan State Chamber of Commerce and McConnell v. Federal Election Commission — holding that government regulation of campaign communications financed by corporate spending did not violate the First Amendment.
