Free Speech and Hillary The Movie

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court will hear rearguments on a case that could up-end campaign finance laws restricting corporate contributions going back to 1907. The case concerns a scathing documentary about Hillary Rodham Clinton, called “Hillary: The Movie,” which was produced by Citizens United, a conservative nonprofit group.

The group wanted to broadcast commercials for the film and to run it on a cable video-on-demand service, but in 2008 a federal district court ruled that the commercials violated a provision in the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law banning the broadcast or cable transmission of “electioneering communications” paid for by corporations in the 30 days before a presidential primary and in the 60 days before the general election. Opponents of the law argue that restrictions on corporate speech in elections violates the First Amendment.

Does the application of campaign finance laws to “Hillary: The Movie” violate free speech rights? What are the implications for electoral politics if the Supreme Court rules in favor of Citizens United?
 

See what legal scholars have to say, click here and scroll down.