Rotunda on Citizens United and the First Amendment

Ronald Rotunda discusses Citizens United, the First Amendment, and “Star Trek” here this morning.

About a half-century ago in Joseph Burstyn, Inc. v. Wilson (1952) the Supreme Court held that the First Amendment protects more than political speech; it also protects movies created for entertainment. Now, the government is arguing that the First Amendment gives less protection to core political speech than it gives to Star Trek. Fortunately, the Court rejected that argument. If the First Amendment protects movies about fantasy it surely should protect movies about the lives of politicians.

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