Supreme Court Hears GOP Challenge to Political Donation Limits

[marmar]

Supreme Court Hears GOP Challenge to Political Donation Limits

Monday, 07 October 2013 11:46
By Mike Ludwig, Truthout | Report


The 2012 elections were the most expensive elections in history, thanks in part to the Supreme Court's 2010 ruling in the Citizens United case, which opened the floodgates for unlimited donations to independent groups like Super-PACs that influence elections with flashy campaigns and attack ads.

On Tuesday, the high court will hear oral arguments in a case that campaign finance reformers are calling "the next Citizens United" because the Republican-led legal challenge could erode one of the last protections preventing wealthy donors from influencing elections and seeking political favors from politicians.

Shaun McCutcheon is a wealthy businessman from Alabama. In 2012, he wanted to donate thousands of dollars to Republican candidate committees as well as the Republican National Committee, but federal caps on the total amount of money an individual can donate directly to candidates and party committees in a two-year election cycle prevented him from making those donations.

McCutcheon complained to the RNC, and, arguing that Republicans should be able to take McCutcheon's campaign cash, the RNC and McCutcheon sued the Federal Elections Commission to challenge its aggregate limits on individual contributions to candidates, party committees and political committees that donate to such groups. ..................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://truth-out.org/news/item/19280-supreme-court-hears-gop-challenge-to-political-donation-limits-opponents-say-it%E2%80%99s-the-next-citizens-united

[denverbill]

1. Gee, I wonder how the court will decided this one? /sarcasm

This should be a uncontested slam dunk for billionaires who want to own the government.