Justice Breyer: Campaign finance limits protect the First Amendment
DREW ANGERER/Getty Images
Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer blasted the high court's ruling that struck down aggregate limits on campaign contributions, writing in a dissent that the majority opinion was "fatally flawed" and would harm "democratic legitimacy."
In a 5-4 decision, the court on Wednesday ruled that longstanding caps on the aggregate amount of money individuals can donate to candidates, political action committees, and parties in a single election cycle violated the First Amendment. Breyer disagreed, arguing that the First Amendment "advances not only the individual's right to engage in political speech, but also the public's interest in preserving a democratic order in which collective speech matters."
"Where enough money calls the tune, the general public will not be heard," he added."
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Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.
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