McCutcheon v. FEC: CLC Background Memo

Court Level
Supreme Court

On October 8, 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral argument in McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission (FEC), a constitutional challenge to the federal aggregate contribution limits and a high-stakes test for the future viability of all contribution limits. If the Supreme Court chooses to ignore longstanding precedent and overturn the contribution caps, the decision would be every bit as damaging to the health of our democracy as the Citizens United ruling, which released unlimited corporate and union treasury funds into our elections.