Minnesota corporations' free speech released from bondage

​Today a federal judge struck down a state law banning corporations from spending on political advertising, endorsements, and other campaign activities, on the grounds that the law violated the First Amendment rights... of corporations.

The decision, by Judge Paul Magnuson, relies on the U.S. Supreme Court's wildly unpopular decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission from January, which held that corporations are entitled to the same constitutional speech protections as human citizens of the United States.

After the Citizens United ruling, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce brought a suit against Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner, arguing that the state law is unconstitutional in light of the Supreme Court precedent. Following that precedent, Magnuson declared this afternoon that the Minnesota law, which threatened fines of up to $40,000 and corporate dissolution for violators, is indeed invalid.

The Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal has a copy of the full ruling.

Congratulations Minnesota Chamber of Commerce! We look forward to a new political climate in Minnesota where corporations are finally free to exercise the unalienable rights with which they were endowed by their creator, or something!