When Illinois enacted its new campaign donation limits in 2009, no one imagined that the Era of the Super PAC was about to dawn.

The U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark 2010 Citizens United decision upheld the First Amendment right of political speech for organizations and ended prohibitions on political activity by corporations, labor unions and any other groups that back political candidates. The only catch is that they have to conduct their political business independent of candidates and with no coordination with a candidate’s campaign.