Daily Source Bias Check: Citizens United

These media sources are moderately to strongly biased toward conservative causes through story selection and/or political affiliation. They may utilize strong loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by using appeal to emotion or stereotypes), publish misleading reports and omit reporting of information that may damage conservative causes. Some sources in this category may be untrustworthy.

• Overall, we rate Citizens United strongly Right Biased based on advocacy for conservative positions. We also rate them Mixed for factual reporting due to a complete lack of transparency with funding.

Detailed Report

Factual Reporting: MIXED
Country: USA
World Press Freedom Rank: USA 48/180

History

Founded in 1988, Citizens United’s goal is to restore the founding fathers’ vision of a free nation, guided by the honesty, common sense, and good will of its citizens. According to their about page “Citizens United seeks to reassert the traditional American values of limited government, freedom of enterprise, strong families, and national sovereignty and security.” The current President is David N. Bossie. Essentially, Citizens United is a conservative lobbying group and PAC.

Read our profile on United States government and media.

Funded by / Ownership

Citizens United is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization. The website completely lacks transparency when it comes to funding, however they have received funding from Koch Industries, which they do not disclose.

Analysis / Bias

In review, Citizens United is best known for the Supreme Court case Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. This is a landmark United States Supreme Court case concerning campaign finance. The Court held that the free speech clause of the First Amendment prohibits the government from restricting independent expenditures for political communications by corporations, including nonprofit corporations, labor unions, and other associations. Put in its most simple terms, it determined that money is a form a free speech protected by the Constitution. Citizens United also runs campaign ads in support of Republicans and opposed to Democrats as well as creating documentaries opposed to Democrats such as Hillary Clinton. Further, the website publishes news that is highly biased against any politician that is not deemed conservative enough Why You Can’t Trust Mitt Romney – EVER and frequently Pro-Trump such as this President Trump recognizes CU Pres. David Bossie in NH speech. In general, Citizens United is a strong right leaning political advocacy and lobbying group.

Failed Fact Checks

• None

Overall, we rate Citizens United strongly Right Biased based on advocacy for conservative positions. We also rate them Mixed for factual reporting due to a complete lack of transparency with funding. (D. Van Zandt 7/18/2016) Updated (3/18/2020)

Source: http://citizensunited.org/index.aspx