How a Legal Case Over an Idiotic Right-Wing Anti-Hillary Film Might End Up Destroying Our Democracy

By Michael Winship, Bill Moyers Journal. Posted September 5, 2009.

The envelope, please. And the winner for "most influential motion picture in American politics" is… "Hillary: The Movie."

Never heard of it? Not surprising -- very few people saw it in the first place. But "Hillary: The Movie" -- a no-holds-barred attack on the life and career of Hillary Clinton intended for viewing during her presidential campaign -- could prove to have an impact on the political scene greater than even its producers could have dreamed.

In the world of money and politics, "Hillary: The Movie" may turn out to be the sleeper hit of the year, a boffo blockbuster. Depending on the outcome of a special Supreme Court hearing on September 9th, this little piece of propaganda could unleash a new torrent of cash flooding into campaigns from big business, unions and other special interests. "Hillary: The Movie" may turn out to be "Frankenstein: The Monster."

The film was created by a conservative group called Citizens United. They wanted to distribute the film via on-demand TV and buy commercials to promote those telecasts, but because the film was partially financed by corporate sponsors, the Federal Election Commission said no, that it was a violation of the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act -- McCain-Feingold -- which restricts the use of corporate money directly for or against candidates.

Citizens United appealed their case all the way to the Supreme Court, where it was first heard back in March. But the court did an usual thing. They asked for more time and ordered a new hearing and new arguments, almost a month ahead of the first Monday in October that usually marks the official start of the court's annual sessions.

The reason for the special hearing is to more broadly consider the constitutionality of McCain-Feingold and campaign finance reform in general; whether it denies a corporation the First Amendment right of free speech.

Those who believe that a corporation is being deprived of a fundamental right feel it should be treated no differently than any individual citizen. Those opposed believe that corporations do not hold the same rights as citizens and that their deep pockets -- via political action committees (PAC's) and other avenues of participation -- already give them clout and influence dangerous to the health of a democracy.

All of this comes, as The New York Times reported, "At a crucial historical moment, as corporations today almost certainly have more to gain or fear from government action than at any time since the New Deal."

More than fifty friend of the court (amicus) briefs have been filed, an unprecedented number for a First Amendment case. The legal wrangling has made for some strange pairings. "The American Civil Liberties Union and its usual allies are on opposite sides," the Times noted, "with the civil rights group fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with the National Rifle Association" in support of "Hillary: The Movie's" corporate sponsors.

See more stories tagged with: supreme court, first amendment, hillary clinton, aclu, bill moyers journal, mccain-feingold, citizens united, hillary: the movie, trevor potter

Michael Winship is a writer for the Bill Moyers Journal on PBS.

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