# @vicenews on YouTube

- **Type:** Video
- **Original URL:** https://youtube.com/watch?v=IhCDnw8rUTk
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/68728957-vicenews-youtube
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/32363dd2b1.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-08-06T18:34:22.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** VICE News (@vicenews) — https://gondola.cc/vicenews

## Caption

Can one lawsuit change the future of American elections?
Harvard Law professor Lawrence Lessig believes it can.

Most Americans blame Citizens United for the rise of Super PACs—but Lessig argues that's not actually what happened. Now, after years of litigation, a new court case could finally give the Supreme Court a chance to decide whether unlimited donations to Super PACs are constitutional at all.

If the courts rule in his favor, the decision could dramatically reshape campaign finance before the 2028 presidential election by allowing limits on massive contributions to Super PACs once again.

In this conversation, Shane Smith and Lawrence Lessig discuss:
- Why almost everyone misunderstands Citizens United
- The legal mistake Lessig says created Super PACs
- Elon Musk's reported $270 million in political donations—and why it matters to this case 
- Whether billionaires are effectively buying political influence
- Why this case is likely headed to the U.S. Supreme Court if the current ruling stands 
- What American elections could look like if Super PACs were fundamentally changed

Whether you agree or disagree with the current campaign finance system, this is one of the most consequential legal challenges to election law.

#LawrenceLessig #ShaneSmith #VICE #HarvardLaw #CampaignFinance #SuperPACs #CitizensUnited #SupremeCourt #Democracy #PoliticalCorruption #MoneyInPolitics #AmericanPolitics #CampaignFinanceReform

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Chapters:
0:00  The Battle to End Super PACs and the $270 Million Question
1:52  Citizens United, Super PACs and the DC Circuit's Mistake
8:53  The Practical Difference Between Giving to a Candidate vs. a Super PAC
12:42  How the World Has Changed Since Buckley v. Valeo
17:40  90% of Americans Believe the System Is Corrupt
22:00  What Happens in 2028 If the Supreme Court Rules in Their Favor
25:51  Won't the Billionaires Just Find Another Way Around This?
27:46  The 2026 Version of a Bag of Cash and the Appearance of Corruption
33:41  When Does Supporting a Candidate Become Buying Influence?
36:21  The Argument Against the Case and the Originalist Response
41:50  What 2028 Looks Like If Super PACs Are Eliminated
44:50  Who's Funding This Case on Both Sides
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The Lawsuit That Could Change American Elections | Lawrence Lessig | Shane Smith Has Questions
https://www.youtube.com/@VICENews

## Stats

- **Views:** 101,142
- **Likes:** 1,208
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 169

## Tags

lawrencelessig, americanpolitics, harvardlaw, democracy, campaignfinance, shanesmith, politicalcorruption, moneyinpolitics, vice, citizensunited, superpacs, campaignfinancereform, supremecourt

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