02 Apr 2014 Project 21’s Cooper Cheers Supreme Court’s Campaign Finance Ruling

In today’s decision in the case of McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that an aggregate limit on the amount of money a person may contribute to political candidates and committees is unconstitutional.

Writing for the 5-4 majority, Chief Justice John Roberts stated that the federal limits on such contributions — which caps donations at $123,200 over a two year period — “den[ies] the individual all ability to exercise his expressive and associational rights by contributing to someone who will advocate for his policy preferences.”  Such a limit, Roberts added, effectively violates First Amendment rights by forcing a person to pick and choose whom they can support with their campaign donations.

The Court’s ruling in McCutcheon v. FEC is being cheered by Horace Cooper, the co-chairman of the National Center’s Project 21 black leadership network.  Cooper, a former professor of constitutional law, said:

Today’s ruling is another victory for free speech in America.

Restricting the ability of Americans to contribute to the candidates of their choice is not only bad public policy, it’s unconstitutional.