Which case introduced the idea that money equals speech and set limits on political contributions?

• A. Citizens United v. FEC (2010)
• B. Reynolds v. Sims (1964)
• C. Buckley v. Valeo (1976)
• D. McConnell v. FEC (2003)

Answer: (C)

Money as a form of political expression is the idea being tested. The Supreme Court treats money spent in elections as protected speech under the First Amendment, but allows the government to regulate it to guard against corruption or the appearance of corruption. Buckley v. Valeo (1976) is the case that established this framework: it upheld limits on political contributions to candidates, recognizing that contributions can create opportunities for corruption and thus may be restricted. At the same time, it struck down broad limits on expenditures, preserving speech by individuals and groups about political issues. This combination—allowing contribution limits while treating spending as speech—became the foundation for how later campaign-finance cases analyzed limits and disclosures. The other options address different questions in election law: Reynolds v. Sims deals with districting, while McConnell v. FEC and Citizens United deal with later developments in campaign finance and corporate political speech, not the initial articulation of money as speech tied to contribution limits.