From worldnetdaily article:
The 300-page ruling also upheld a ban on political advertising by special-interest groups 60 days before Election Day.
The court struck down, however, a provision that barred minors under the age of 18 from making monetary contributions to political campaigns, calling it an unconstitutional restriction of free speech.
The American Center for Law and Justice, an international public-interest law firm, called today's decision as "an enormously important First Amendment victory" for minors, but a slap in the face for adults.
ACLJ represented six politically active teens from Alabama, Georgia, and Florida â between the ages of 13 and 17 â who argued the law prevented them from exercising their First Amendment rights.
"While it is encouraging that the high court acted to protect the constitutional rights of minors, it is unfortunate that the court turned its back on protecting the constitutional rights of advocacy groups," said ACLJ's chief counsel, Jay Sekulow. "By upholding the constitutionality of the law's advertising ban, advocacy groups will be effectively shut out of being able to express their opinions and views on the moral and cultural issues that play a key role in elections. The free-speech rights of minors were protected, but the free-speech rights of other Americans suffered a serious setback with this decision."
The majority opinion dispelled free-speech objections raised, ruling the government's interest in preventing political corruption outweighed limitations on free speech.
Chief Justice William Rehnquist and Justices Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Anthony Kennedy offered forceful dissent to the decision.
"The first instinct of power is the retention of power, and under a Constitution that requires periodic elections, that is best achieved by the suppression of election-time speech," Scalia wrote.
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So the "living constitution" that some of you are so in favor of protects flag burning, nude dancing and all sorts of non-verbal "expression" but allows a bunch of incumbent congressmen to pass a law outlawing criticism of them for 60 days before an election. "To prevent corruption." How does running an issue ad contribute to corruption? If this is not a core First Amendment protected expression, what is? nude dancing I guess.
The 300-page ruling also upheld a ban on political advertising by special-interest groups 60 days before Election Day.
The court struck down, however, a provision that barred minors under the age of 18 from making monetary contributions to political campaigns, calling it an unconstitutional restriction of free speech.
The American Center for Law and Justice, an international public-interest law firm, called today's decision as "an enormously important First Amendment victory" for minors, but a slap in the face for adults.
ACLJ represented six politically active teens from Alabama, Georgia, and Florida â between the ages of 13 and 17 â who argued the law prevented them from exercising their First Amendment rights.
"While it is encouraging that the high court acted to protect the constitutional rights of minors, it is unfortunate that the court turned its back on protecting the constitutional rights of advocacy groups," said ACLJ's chief counsel, Jay Sekulow. "By upholding the constitutionality of the law's advertising ban, advocacy groups will be effectively shut out of being able to express their opinions and views on the moral and cultural issues that play a key role in elections. The free-speech rights of minors were protected, but the free-speech rights of other Americans suffered a serious setback with this decision."
The majority opinion dispelled free-speech objections raised, ruling the government's interest in preventing political corruption outweighed limitations on free speech.
Chief Justice William Rehnquist and Justices Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Anthony Kennedy offered forceful dissent to the decision.
"The first instinct of power is the retention of power, and under a Constitution that requires periodic elections, that is best achieved by the suppression of election-time speech," Scalia wrote.
*******
So the "living constitution" that some of you are so in favor of protects flag burning, nude dancing and all sorts of non-verbal "expression" but allows a bunch of incumbent congressmen to pass a law outlawing criticism of them for 60 days before an election. "To prevent corruption." How does running an issue ad contribute to corruption? If this is not a core First Amendment protected expression, what is? nude dancing I guess.
RS