Sign in to wowOwow

Enter the email address that you used when registering at wowOwow.
The password field is case sensitive. Click here if you have forgotten your password.

Please register for wowOwow

Newsletter subscriptions
Sign up to receive wowOwow's weekly newsletter and get our best picks delivered right to your inbox. Our newsletter content is hand-picked by the wowOwow editorial team and provides the top features, news, and commentary from our site. Subscribing to our newsletter is free and safe. We will never share your email or other information with a third-party without your direct consent.
By registering, you indicate that you have read and agree
with our privacy policy and terms of service.

Hillary the Movie | 03/25/2009 7:55 am

Supreme Court Hears 'Hillary: The Movie' Campaign Finance Case (Video)

By The Staff at wowOwow.com
YouTube

Hillary Clinton is a hot topic at the Supreme Court this week.

The highest court in the land will soon consider whether a movie critical of the former First Lady should be considered a campaign ad as outlined by the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law. "Hillary: The Movie," produced by conservative group Citizens United, essentially documents how Mrs. Clinton was perceived to be unfit to be commander in chief, and was supposed to air just before the presidential primary.

"If you want to hear about the Clinton scandals of the past and present, you have it here!" reads the movie’s website. "’Hillary: The Movie’ is the first and last word in what the Clintons want America to forget!"

Citizens United hoped to distribute the film through a cable provider’s on-demand system, but the Bush administration’s Federal Election Commission halted that plan because the film was considered "prohibited electioneering communication." Former Bush solicitor general Ted Olson blasted McCain-Feingold for smothering free expression with the "most complicated, expensive, incomprehensible regulatory regime ever created." He argued that the Hillary movie shouldn’t be considered "advocacy" and therefore didn’t have to abide by campaign finance ad-funding rules. "The Constitution … errs on the side of permitting the speech, not prohibiting the speech," Olson said.

But don’t expect the Supreme Court to buy that argument. Justices David Souter, Stephen Breyer, Anthony Kennedy, Antonin Scalia and others went back and forth on what can be considered a campaign ad. If the court sides with Citizens United, it could loosen restrictions on political advertising. So far, no decision. A decision could come as late as June. Stay tuned!

Watch the "Hillary: The Movie" trailer below:

7 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Chris Glass`
This movie wasn’t freedom of speech it was a smear campaign for Hillary. If every candidate had had a movie made of their lives and mistakes it might be viewed differently. This political agenda was more of a 90 minute campaign ad to ensure she would never be fairly elected to any office. If this allowed no future candidates will be safe from this sort of slur.

Hillary is an intelligent women with a lot of experience. We should celebrate her accomplishments. The justices need to remember that they too might be targeted for one of these truth in office movies.
By Chris Glass` on 03/25/2009 12:08 pm