Arizona Free Enterprise Club’s Freedom Club Pac v. Bennett

Summary

The Court held that Arizona's public financing matching funds provision violates the First Amendment because it substantially burdens the speech of privately financed candidates and independent expenditure groups without serving a compelling state interest. The Court reasoned that triggering state funds for opponents in direct response to private political spending penalizes the exercise of free speech rights. Justice Kagan, dissenting, would have upheld the provision as a viewpoint-neutral subsidy that furthers the compelling interest of preventing corruption.