Citizens United, Two Years Later

Two years ago Saturday, the Supreme Court issued what may be its most pro-corporate decision yet, in the now-infamous case of Citizens United v. FEC (.pdf download).  The case has become emblematic of the Corporate Court.

There is no doubt that Citizens United is an important decision because of its effects on our electoral process. But it is also important because the decision is yet another brick in the wall of privilege that the Supreme Court has been building for the largest corporations. In the last year alone, the Supreme Court has:

• made it easier for corporations to escape liability in employment discrimination class action suits (Wal-Mart v. Dukes);
• made it more difficult for consumers who were ripped off to band together by forcing them into individual arbitration (AT&T v. Concepcion (.pdf download));
• made it more difficult for citizens hurt by global warming to sue to stop big polluters (American Electric Power Company v. Connecticut); and
• made it easier for pharmaceutical companies to get doctors’ prescription data for marketing purposes (Sorrell v. IMS Health). 

Under Chief Justice John Roberts, this Supreme Court has expanded corporate power in decision after decision.

Fortunately, many are fighting back. Last week, on the two-year anniversary of the decision a group of citizens gathered on the steps of the Supreme Court to protest the decision and corporate influence in the courts. The protest was part of a nationwide series of “Occupy the Courts” demonstrations.

Click here to learn more about the Corporate Court.