Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission is one of the most consequential, controversial and misunderstood decisions of the 21st century. And it’s also 175 pages long.
If you don’t feel like sifting through 175 pages of incredibly complex legal arguments, you’re in luck – First Amendment & campaign finance attorney Zach Greenberg is here for you. Zach will break down what’s in the decision, what it practically means, the concurrence, the dissent and the key rationales used by both sides. Specific topics covered: The 3 main elements of Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA), First Amendment prohibition against the government discriminating based on the speaker, Money = Free Speech, how the First Amendment extends to corporations, what Citizens United is NOT about, Independent Expenditures, express advocacy vs. issuing ads, state vs. federal elections, election season vs. non-election season, Austin v. Michigan Chamber of Commerce, McConnell v. Federal Election Comm’n, the 3 pillars of the majority decision, the Anti-Distortion Rationale and the Corruption Rationale.
A native New Yorker, Zach graduated from Binghamton University in 2013 and Syracuse Law in 2016. Zach developed an appreciation for free speech while leading the College Libertarians and the Federalist Society.