Ira Glasser, long one of the ACLU’s most important legal advisers and litigators, spoke at an event put on by the Center for Competitive Politics entitled “Citizens United v. FEC after Five Years – Should Liberals Support Citizens United?” The video is here.
Glasser excoriated those on “the left” for calling for a constitutional amendment to limit the First Amendment in response to the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision. “The key question,” said Glasser, “when you’re contemplating speech restrictions . .. is ‘who’s going to get to decide?’” (Video at around 3:45.)
“It’s going to be whoever has political power.” Video at 4:00.
Glasser continued: “It is politically and strategically the stupidest thing I have ever seen any group of Americans, whatever their political ideology propose.” Video at around 8:40.
Glasser also attacked the New York Times coverage of Citizens United. “the Times coverage in their editorial pages, in their columns and in their news coverage, has been willfully, intellectually dishonest.” 17:50.
