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FEDERAL ELECTION COMM'N v. BEAUMONT

No. 02-403.

539 U.S. 146 (2003)

FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION v. BEAUMONT ET AL.

Supreme Court of United States.

Decided June 16, 2003.

Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Deputy Solicitor General Clement argued the cause for petitioner. With him on the briefs were Solicitor General Olson, Assistant Attorney General McCallum, Gregory G. Garre, Douglas N. Letter, Edward Himmelfarb, and Jonathan H. Levy.

James Bopp, Jr., argued the cause for respondents. With him on the brief were Richard E. Coleson and Thomas J. Marzen.*

SOUTER, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which REHNQUIST, C. J., and STEVENS, O'CONNOR, GINSBURG, and BREYER, JJ., joined. KENNEDY, J., filed an opinion concurring in the judgment, p. 163. THOMAS, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which SCALIA, J., joined, p. 164.

JUSTICE SOUTER delivered the opinion of the Court.

Since 1907, federal law has barred corporations from contributing directly to candidates for federal office. We hold that applying the prohibition to nonprofit advocacy corporations is consistent with the First Amendment.

I

The current statute makes it "unlawful . . . for any corporation whatever . . . to make a contribution or expenditure in connection...

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