FEC v. Massachusetts Citizens for Life
| Federal Election Commission v. Massachusetts Citizens for Life, Inc. | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Argued October 7, 1986 Decided December 15, 1986 | |
| Full case name | Federal Election Commission v. Massachusetts Citizens for Life, Inc. |
| Docket no. | 85-701 |
| Citations | 479 U.S. 238 (more) 107 S. Ct. 616; 93 L. Ed. 2d 539; 1986 U.S. LEXIS 26 |
| Holding | |
| Massachusetts Citizens for Life violated the Federal Election Campaign Act by distributing flyers asking voters to vote "for life" paid for with treasury funds, however that section of FECA itself violated the First Amendment. | |
| Court membership | |
| |
| Case opinions | |
| Majority | Brennan (Parts I and II), joined by unanimous |
| Majority | Brennan (Parts III–B and III–C), joined by Marshall, Powell, O'Connor, Scalia |
| Plurality | Brennan (Part III–A), joined by Marshall, Powell, Scalia |
| Concurrence | O'Connor (in part and in judgment) |
| Concur/dissent | Rehnquist, joined by White, Blackmun, Stevens |
| Laws applied | |
| U.S. Const. amend. I | |
BackGround Info
Massachusetts Citizens for Life was a nonprofit corporation, "to defend the right to life of all human beings born and unborn," with advication activities. Its' published newsletter would allow individuals who support the organization to receive updates. In September, 1978, Massachusetts Citizens for Life distributed a "Special Edition" telling people to vote "pro-life" in the primary elections. It listed candidates for every office in every voting district through Massachusetts, and labeled each candidate as pro or against their views. The publication was distributed to a larger audience than of the standard newsletter (the general public, not just supporters). Additionally it was financed by money taken from Massachusetts Citizens for Life's general treasury funds. A Federal Election Commission complaint was filed. Claiming the "Special Edition" violated § 316; funds used from a corporate treasury to distribute a campaign flyer (of certain political candidates) toward the general public. The FEC did determine probable cause of a violation of the statute. The FEC then led a complaint in Federal District Court.[1]
Case
In Federal Election Commission v. Massachusetts Citizens for Life, Inc., 479 U.S. 238 (1986), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Massachusetts Citizens for Life, Inc., a pro-life organization,[2] violated the Federal Election Campaign Act by distributing flyers asking voters to vote "for life" paid for with treasury funds. However, the court also ruled that the FECA section that required any spending by corporations on political campaigning to be done through political action committees (PACs) was itself a violation of the First Amendment rights of nonprofit political and ideological groups.[3][4]
See also
References
- FEC v. Mass. Cit. for Life, 479 U.S. 238 (1986).
- McDonald, Matt. "Diehl Is Choice For Governor of Massachusetts Pro-Life Group; All The MCFL PAC Endorsements". NewBostonPost. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
- Wermiel, Stephen (December 16, 1986). "High Court Overturns Law Requiring Nonprofit Political Groups to Use PACs". Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition. p. 4. Retrieved May 16, 2017 – via ProQuest.
- "Federal Election Commission v. Massachusetts Citizens for Life, Inc". Oyez. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
External links
- Text of Federal Election Commission v. Massachusetts Citizens for Life, Inc., 479 U.S. 238 (1986) is available from: CourtListener Google Scholar Justia Library of Congress Oyez (oral argument audio)