QUAD CITIES COALITION FOR DEMOCRACY RESPONDS TO SCOTUS DECISION IN MCCUTCHEON VS. FEC
The ruling says, among other things, that individuals can donate the maximum individual limit to an unlimited number of candidates; in other words, there is no aggregate cap on campaign donations made by individuals to candidates.
This ruling greatly expands the undue influence of wealthy individuals in our election process. As Supreme Court Justice Breyer stated in his dissenting opinion, “Today’s decision eviscerates our Nation’s campaign finance laws, leaving a remnant incapable of dealing with the grave problems of democratic legitimacy that those laws were intended to resolve.”
Senator John McCain, a long-time supporter of campaign finance laws, said in response to today’s decision, “I am concerned that today’s ruling may represent the latest step in an effort by a majority of the Court to dismantle entirely the longstanding structure of campaign finance law erected to limit the undue influence of special interests on American politics. I predict that as a result of recent Court decisions, there will be scandals involving corrupt public officials and unlimited, anonymous campaign contributions that will force the system to be reformed once again.”
Link to SCOTUS Decision:
http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/13pdf/12-536_e1pf.pdf