Super PACs are formally recognized as independent-expenditure only committees.
In Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010), the United States Supreme Court ruled that political spending is considered free speech and therefore protected under the First Amendment.
That same year, in SpeechNow.org vs. FEC, the former decision was cited to appeal against the limits on Contributions to political action committees (PACs). From then on, the so-called super PACs arose as a growing influence on political elections.
