Month: February 2012

Panel at St. Michael’s speaks out against Citizens United decision

COLCHESTER — Sen. Virginia “Ginny” Lyons, D-Chittenden, sat on stage waving several dollars bills in the air as the silent audience waited for her to begin her presentation.

“Do you get it? I’m speaking!” Lyons said, referencing the Supreme Court ruling Citizens United v. the Federal Election Commission, which Lyons said defined money as speech and corporations as people.

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Not in Montana

The American Prospect

Garrett Epps

February 21, 2012

The state’s challenge to Citizens United might make the Supreme Court rethink—but not overturn—the ruling.

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Court Blocks Montana Campaign-Finance Ruling

BY JESS BRAVIN

Wall Street Journal

February 17, 2012

The Supreme Court on Friday blocked Montana from enforcing state restrictions on corporate political spending while it considers arguments that those restrictions, enacted in the century-old Montana Corrupt Practices Act, were nullified by the 2010 Citizens United ruling.

In Citizens United, the justices voted 5-4 to strike down federal limits on corporate and union electioneering, saying Congress failed to show that its interest in fighting political corruption justified limits on campaign advertising.

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