Americans for Prosperity Foundation v. Becerra Amicus Brief
Citizens United and Citizens United Foundation have filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court urging the justices to strike down a California regulation that requires charities to provide the state’s attorney general with the identities and contribution amounts of their top donors in order to solicit contributions in that state. The Citizens United brief says the decision of the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals upholding the requirement should be reversed because it violates charities’ 1st Amendment associational right to engage in anonymous speech. The Citizens United brief also asks the court to reconsider its usage of interest balances tests in 1st Amendment cases and instead decide such cases based on the “text, history, and tradition” of the 1st Amendment. Finally, the brief asserts that the California donor disclosure requirement unlawfully conditions the exercise of free speech rights on the forfeiture of confidentiality protections provided under federal law.