The Great Seal of the Montana State

The Great Seal of the Montana State

21 May 2012. Twenty-two states and the District of Columbia are backing Montana in its fight to prevent the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision from being used to overrule the state laws restricting corporate campaign spending.

The states led by New York are asking the high court to preserve Montana’s state-level regulations on corporate political expenditures. A brief written by New York’s attorney general’s office will be released to the public today.

The Montana case has prompted critics to hope the court will reverse the controversial Citizens United ruling.

Montana and the other states are asking the court to either let the Montana Supreme Court decision stand or to hold a full hearing. They argue that such laws like are needed to prevent corruption.