First Amendment under fire [McCain-Feingold]

The Washington Times ^ | 2009-09-09

[rabscuttle385]

The selective muzzles applied by the McCain-Feingold law.

BY DAVID N. BOSSIE

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides that "Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech."

The Framers' clear intent was first and foremost to protect political speech. Today, in a rare summer session, the Supreme Court will hear arguments as to whether it should overrule two previous, and in my opinion incorrectly decided, rulings on political free speech. Namely, the justices will decide whether or not to allow Austin v. Michigan State Chamber of Commerce and a significant section of McConnell v. Federal Election Commission, to stand, and in doing so, how far the First Amendment goes to protect the right of organizations to support or criticize candidates for federal office.

In 2007, Citizens United, the grass-roots advocacy group that I head, produced a documentary titled "Hillary The Movie" about Hillary Rodham Clinton and sought to show, sell and promote the film when public interest in it would be at its height in January 2008. Unfortunately for us (and our film sales), under federal election law, we could produce our film but could not advertise its existence on television and radio, nor could we give cable subscribers the opportunity to view the film in an "on demand" format.

The legal basis for banning our movie from the airwaves is that the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law prohibits corporations from engaging in political speech and that Citizens United, though a nonprofit corporation, is still a corporation, and all corporate money is banned, no matter what.

[rabscuttle385]

John McCain, you treasonous bastard, I challenge you or any of your traitorous cohorts...

[rabscuttle385]

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[AliVeritas]

Thanks.