Politics
Out of context: Reply #33098
- Started
- Last post
- 33,769 Responses
- BuddhaHat0
https://popular.info/p/supreme-c…
Supreme Court greenlights corruption
For the last 20 years, there has been a modest restriction on wealthy candidates that loan their campaigns money. Candidates are free to loan their campaign an unlimited amount of money. And, during the campaign, they can pay themselves back however much they want. But, after the campaign is over, any outstanding debt to the candidate over $250,000 is considered a contribution and cannot be repaid.
The rationale is, after the conclusion of the election, contributions cannot possibly benefit the campaign. This money is going directly into the pocket of the candidate. So there is a threat of real and perceived corruption.
The Supreme Court, by a 6-3 vote, has now decided that this provision, which has been law since the enactment of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, is unconstitutional.
Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, says wealthy candidates loaning their campaigns large amounts of cash is an essential part of the democratic process. He describes loans in excess of $250,000 as a key tool "to jumpstart a fledgling campaign or finish strong in a tight race." Massive personal loans can be "a useful tool to signal that the political outsider is confident enough in his campaign to have skin in the game, attracting the attention of donors and voters alike." Not allowing these loans to be paid back in full with money raised after the election, Roberts argues, risks "inhibiting candidates from making such loans in the first place."
This, according to Roberts and the five other conservative Justices, is a violation of the First Amendment. Roberts notes a candidate has a constitutional right “to speak without legislative limit on behalf of his own candidacy.” This includes candidates spending unlimited amounts of their own money. The restriction on repayment, Roberts writes, "burdens candidates who wish to make expenditures on behalf of their own candidacy through personal loans."
- "Shocking". This court is purely bought-and-paid-for corruption.formed