<Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> This case overturned a previous ruling or rulings </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Austin v. Michigan Chamber of Commerce, 1990 . McConnell v. FEC, 2003 (in part). </Td> </Tr> <P> Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, 558 U.S. 310 (2010), is a landmark U.S. constitutional law, campaign finance, and corporate law case dealing with regulation of political campaign spending by organizations . The United States Supreme Court held (5--4) on January 21, 2010 that the free speech clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution prohibits the government from restricting independent expenditures for communications by nonprofit corporations, for - profit corporations, labor unions, and other associations . </P> <P> In the case, the conservative non-profit organization Citizens United sought to air a film critical of Hillary Clinton and to advertise the film during television broadcasts shortly before the 2008 Democratic primary election in which Clinton was running for U.S. President . Federal law, however, prohibited any corporation (or labor union) from making an "electioneering communication" (defined as a broadcast ad reaching over 50,000 people in the electorate within 30 days of a primary or 60 days of an election), or making any expenditure advocating the election or defeat of a candidate at any time . The court found that these provisions of the law conflicted with the U.S. Constitution . </P>

The supreme court ruling in citizens united v. fec supports