What was the impact of Citizens United v. FEC?

• A. It restricted corporate political spending.
• B. It banned independent expenditures by corporations and unions.
• C. It allowed unlimited independent corporate and union political expenditures as protected free speech.
• D. It mandated stricter disclosure requirements.

Answer: (C)

Free speech protections for corporations and unions extend to political spending. Citizens United v. FEC held that limits on independent political expenditures by corporations and unions violate the First Amendment, so these groups may spend unlimited sums on political communications as long as the spending is not coordinated with a candidate’s campaign. This change effectively enables the rise of entities like Super PACs, which can raise and spend vast amounts to advocate for or against candidates without strict caps on the expenditures themselves. It does not prohibit corporate or union spending outright; it distinguishes between independent expenditures and direct contributions to campaigns, and it emphasizes that spending as a form of speech is protected.