Senate Holds Hearing on Supreme Court's Citizen's United Ruling

Saying the Supreme Court's decision "turns the idea of government of, by and for the people on its head," Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) held a hearing Wednesday (March 10) on the Supreme Court's decision last September in the Citizen's United case to allow direct funding of TV and radio campaign ads by corporations and unions.

While legislative fixes are being considered, the hearing was not on any specific bill, but an effort by Leahy and company to get a handle on "how the court came to its conclusion and the impact this case will have on our democracy." With a tellingly-placed question mark, the title of the hearing gave a clear indication of where the Democratic majority stood on that decision: "We the People? Corporate Spending in American Elections after Citizens United."