August a $3 Million Month for DCCC, NRCC

http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docid=news-000003206342
Positioning for the 2010 Elections...

The National Republican Congressional Committee took in $3.1 million, raising more from individual donors than the DCCC — but significantly less from its much smaller membership.

The DCCC, which will be defending its 256-178 edge in the House in the November 2010 elections, has raised significantly more than the NRCC this year, $37.4 million to $23.8 million, and has more than twice as much money in the bank, $10.7 million to $4.2 million.

Marissa Mayer, an executive at Google, was one of four individuals who gave the DCCC $30,400 last month. That is the maximum annual contribution allowed under the law.

Phil Ruffin, a Las Vegas casino owner, was one of two donors who gave $30,400 to the NRCC last month.

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.