American Tradition Partnership, Inc. v. Bullock

567 U.S. 516, 183 L. Ed. 2d 448, 132 S. Ct. 2490, 23 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. S 454, 2012 WL 2368660, 2012 U.S. LEXIS 4666, 80 U.S.L.W. 4577

Opinions

Per Curiam.

A Montana state law provides that a “corporation may not make ... an expenditure in connection with a candidate or a political committee that supports or opposes a candidate or a political party.” Mont. Code Ann. § 13-35-227(1) (2011). The Montana Supreme Court rejected petitioners’ claim that this statute violates the First Amendment. 2011 MT 328, 363 Mont. 220, 271 P. 3d 1. In Citizens United v. Federal Election Comm’n, 558 U. S. 310 (2010), this Court struck down a similar federal law, holding that “political speech does not lose First Amendment protection simply because its source is a corporation.” Id., at 342 (internal quotation marks omitted). The question presented in this case is whether the holding of Citizens United applies to the Montana state law. There can be no serious doubt that it does. See U. S. Const., Art. VI, cl. 2. Montana’s arguments in support of the judgment below either were already rejected in Citizens United, or fail to meaningfully distinguish that case. The petition for certiorari is granted. The judgment of the Supreme Court of Montana is reversed.

It is so ordered.