case in which the U.S. Supreme Court on January 21, 2010, ruled (5–4) that laws preventing corporations and unions from using general treasury funds for independent electioneering communications violate the First Amendment's guarantee of freedom of speech

January

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. Share: Holding: Political spending is a form of protected speech under the First Amendment, and the government may not keep corporations or unions from spending money to support or denounce individual candidates in elections.