Hillary movie case could change campaign finance [McCain-Feingold] [SCOTUS]

AP ^ | 2009-09-05 | Jesse J. Holland & Mark Sherman

[rabscuttle385]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court appears poised to wipe away limits on campaign spending by corporations and labor unions in time for next year's congressional elections in a case that began as a dispute over a movie about Hillary Rodham Clinton.

The justices return to the bench Wednesday — nearly a month early — to consider whether to overrule two earlier decisions that restrict how and when corporations and unions can take part in federal campaigns. Laws that impose similar limits in 24 states also are threatened.

The court first heard arguments in March in the case of whether "Hillary: The Movie," a scathingly critical look at Clinton's presidential ambitions, could be regulated as a campaign ad. The emphasis has shifted away from the 90-minute film.

Now the justices could decide whether corporations and unions should be treated differently from individuals when it comes to campaign spending. Restrictions on corporations have been around for more than 100 years; limits on unions date from the 1940s.

Deep corporate and labor pockets and the potential for corruption "amply justify treating corporate and union expenditures differently from those by individuals and ideological nonprofit groups," argued Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Russ Feingold, D-Wis., and other sponsors of a major campaign finance law who don't want any significant change to the restrictions.

[K-oneTexas]

“Hillary: The Movie”. Didn’t a court already opine on “W: The Movie”?

I wonder if the decision in this case would affect balderdash like “AlGore’s, A Convenient Truth”?

Rubbish like this has always allowed to be shown to the masses. Personally, I don’t see the courts making major decision on this piece of trash. Ruling on the campaign finance law would be better.

[LibLieSlayer]

Big business is going to massacre the dims if they get this unConstitutional leftist crap overturned!!! I hope they bury the dims in negative ads... around the clock!

LLS

[freespirited]

Deep corporate and labor pockets and the potential for corruption "amply justify treating corporate and union expenditures differently from those by individuals and ideological nonprofit groups," argued Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Russ Feingold, D-Wis., and other sponsors of a major campaign finance law who don't want any significant change to the restrictions.

I suppose Soros, moveon and ACORN have no potential for corruption.

If McCain Feingold isnt unconstitional, it is still one of the stupidest ideas to ever come out of Congress. Shoot it and put it out of its misery already.

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

BTTT