The U.S. Supreme Court decision giving corporations the same rights as people to spend money independently to support political campaigns didn’t overturn a century-old ban on direct corporate donations to candidates, a federal court ruled. A three-judge appeals panel in Richmond, Virginia, made its ruling today in reinstating a criminal campaign-finance charge against two fundraisers for Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid who were indicted for improperly reimbursing $186,600 to donors.
U.S. District Judge James Cacheris had thrown out a charge that the two illegally funneled corporate money to the campaign, ruling that the high court’s 2010 Citizens United decision meant companies can make campaign donations directly to candidates as long as they comply with general legal limits. The appeals court judges disagreed.
“Leaping to this conclusion ignores the well-established principle that independent expenditures and direct contributions are subject to different standards of scrutiny and supported by different government interests,” U.S. Circuit Judge Roger Gregory wrote for the panel.
Full Article: Company Campaign Funds Ban Survives Citizens United Test – Bloomberg.