For better or worse, Citizens United held that there is no distinction between an individual and a corporation with respect to political speech. ... Corporations and human beings are entitled to equal political speech rights. ... Thus, if an individual can make direct contributions within [the law's] limits, a corporation cannot be banned from doing the same thing.

Commentators have noted that judge Cacheris' opinion does not address the 2003 Supreme Court decision in Federal Election Commission v. Beaumont [opinion], which specifically upheld a ban on corporate contributions to election campaigns. Although Cacheris does acknowledge that another federal judge ruled on the same question but upheld the law, his opinion is silent on the Eighth Circuit's appellate ruling likewise upholding the ban. Cecheris' ruling does not follow the distinction between expenditures and contributions [AP report] upheld by the Eighth Circuit. Despite strong reactions to the ruling, the net impact is unclear because current election law limit individuals to $2,500 per candidate in each election, while corporate political action committees may contribute up to $5,000.