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Rafael Torres, Jr. - Does The United States Supreme Court Decision In The Citizens United V. The Federal Election Commission Case Affect The Voluntary Departure Of United States Senators, Rafael Torres Jr.

Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program 2013

The United States Supreme Court decision in the case of Citizens United v. the Federal Election Commission raised concerns about how unlimited independent expenditures by organizations would influence campaigns and elections. This concern has been expressed through media and politicians, but research on the subject is conflicting. One argument is that protecting unlimited contributions as free speech gives a disproportionate amount of speech to non-voting entities. The other argument is that speech does not directly influence elections and it is ultimately the voter's decision on which candidate to choose. Laws that affect elections also affect departures. The connection between campaign …