WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline)-Montana Attorney General Steve Bullock will appear before a U.S. Senate panel today to discuss the implications of a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on campaign finance.

Bullock, a Democrat, will appear before the U.S. Senate Rules and Administration Committee to discuss the high court's ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.

The landmark decision lifted a ban on corporate spending around political races, allowing businesses to spend as much as they like to help sway elections.

The powerful Senate committee, led by Democrat Charles Schumer of New York, is considering its legislative options in the wake of the court's ruling.

"In Montana, we have ensured that the voices of our candidates, and those of the natural persons that support and vote for them, are not displaced by the treasuries of corporations," Bullock said in prepared remarks. "The Supreme Court has challenged all of us to find new ways to keep those voices heard. I look forward to working with our legislature and Congress in doing so."

Bullock and the Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard were joined by 24 of their counterparts in filing a friend-of-the court brief urging the Supreme Court to uphold on corporate dollars going into political campaigns.

Also appearing before the panel is Allison Hayward of The George Mason University School of Law, Edward Foley of The Ohio State University School of Law, Steve Hoersting of the Center for Competitive Politics, Fred Wertheimer of Democracy 21 and Heather Gerken of The Yale Law School.

From Legal Newsline: Reach staff reporter Chris Rizo at chrisrizo@legalnewsline.com.