Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/11pdf/11-1179h9j3.pdf
Page Number: 2

Cite as:  567 U. S. ____ (2012) 

1 

BREYER, J., dissenting 

SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES 

AMERICAN TRADITION PARTNERSHIP, INC., FKA
 
WESTERN TRADITION PARTNERSHIP, INC., 

ET AL. v. STEVE BULLOCK, ATTORNEY
 
GENERAL OF MONTANA, ET AL. 

ON PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE SUPREME 

COURT OF MONTANA
 

No. 11–1179.  Decided June 25, 2012

 JUSTICE  BREYER,  with  whom  JUSTICE  GINSBURG,  JUS-

TICE SOTOMAYOR, and JUSTICE KAGAN join, dissenting. 

In  Citizens  United  v.  Federal  Election  Commission,  the 

Court  concluded  that  “independent  expenditures,  includ­
ing those made by corporations, do not give rise to corrup­
tion  or  the  appearance  of  corruption.”    558  U. S.  ___,  ___ 
(2010)  (slip  op.,  at  42).   I  disagree  with  the  Court’s  hold-
ing  for  the  reasons  expressed  in  Justice  Stevens’  dissent 
in that case.  As Justice Stevens explained, “technically in­
dependent  expenditures  can  be  corrupting  in  much  the
same way as direct contributions.”  Id., at ___ (slip op., at
67–68).  Indeed,  Justice  Stevens  recounted  a  “substantial 
body of evidence” suggesting  that “[m]any corporate inde­
pendent  expenditures  . . .  had  become  essentially  inter­
changeable  with  direct  contributions  in  their  capacity  to 
generate quid pro quo arrangements.”  Id., at ___ (slip op.,
at 64–65).

Moreover,  even  if  I  were  to  accept  Citizens  United,  this 

Court’s  legal  conclusion  should  not  bar  the  Montana  Su­
preme  Court’s  finding,  made  on  the  record  before  it,  that 
independent expenditures by corporations did in fact lead 
to corruption or the appearance of corruption in Montana.
Given the history and political landscape in Montana, that
court concluded that the State had a compelling interest in 
limiting  independent  expenditures  by  corporations.  2011 
MT  328,  ¶¶  36–37,  363  Mont.  220,  235–236,  271  P. 3d  1,