Litigation

Huge Outside Spending Gap in Wake of ?Citizens United?

By Peter Hardin

There’s a lopsided gap between the outside spending for TV ads by groups supporting Republicans, versus those backing Democrats, in congressional races so far this fall.

And driving the imbalance, a New York Times article reports, are GOP-oriented groups that were set up to be able to take contributions of unlimited sums while not having to disclose them.

Is the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision responsible? Maybe, the article states:

“The snapshot of early television spending would seem to be a fulfillment of Democrats? worst fears after the Supreme Court?s landmark ruling in the Citizens United case in January that lifted a ban on direct corporate spending on political campaigns.

“It is not clear, however, whether it is actually an influx of new corporate money unleashed by the Citizens United decision that is driving the spending chasm, or other factors, notably, a political environment that favors Republicans.”

For Senate races, GOP-oriented interest groups spent $10.9 million on TV compared to $1.3 million spent by Democratic-leaning groups between Aug. 1 and Sept. 8. For the House, the corresponding expenditures were $3.1 million and $1.5 million.

To learn more about Citizens United, read the Justice at Stake amicus brief in the case or the JAS news release commenting on the high court’s decision. You can also read in Gavel Grab a series of posts about developments tied to Citizens United.

Full post as published by The Gavel on September 13, 2010 (boomark / email).