Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) is a landmark case that dealt with the regulation of political campaign spending by organizations. The Supreme Court held that the First Amendment of the Constitution protects the free speech of nonprofit corporations, for-profit corporations, labor unions and other associations.
The effects of this case have been significant. One of the major ones was the development of "super PACs" (political action committees). These committees make no financial contributions to candidates or parties, but they accept unlimited donations from individuals and corporations.
Moreover, the ruling weakened the power of the traditional "establishment" in terms of their ability to raise funds. As independent organizations contribute more and more to campaigns, candidates are free to challenge the party establishment, weakening the party and moving away from traditional positions.
