معرفی
Ciara Torres-Spelliscy is a Professor of Law at Stetson University College of Law, where she teaches Constitutional Law, Election Law, First Amendment, Business Entities and Corporate Governance. She holds an A.B. from Harvard University and a JD from Columbia School of Law. Prior to joining Stetson, she served as counsel in the Democracy Program of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, as an associate at Arnold & Porter LLP, and as a staffer for Senator Richard Durbin.
Education:
- A.B., Harvard University
- J.D., Columbia School of Law
Ciara Torres-Spelliscy's research focuses on the intersection of law, politics, and corporate power. Her work examines campaign finance reform, political corruption, judicial selection, and the concept of corporate personhood. She explores how money influences politics and how corporations exercise constitutional rights traditionally reserved for individuals. Her research on political branding analyzes how political parties and candidates craft identities that resonate with voters, particularly examining historical patterns of racial and ethnic exclusion in American politics.
Professor Torres-Spelliscy has conducted extensive research on the implications of the Citizens United decision and subsequent Supreme Court rulings that have reshaped campaign finance law. Her scholarship critically examines the concept of corruption in campaign finance jurisprudence and advocates for greater transparency in political spending. She has developed innovative frameworks for understanding how corporations function as political actors and the implications this has for democratic governance.
Her recent publications demonstrate a clear trajectory toward examining the relationship between disinformation, political branding, and election integrity. The 2025 book chapter "The Perils of Fundraising Using the Disinformation of the Big Lie" connects campaign finance with the spread of election misinformation. Her 2024 book "Corporatocracy" addresses systemic threats to democracy from corporate political spending. Many of her articles analyze how Supreme Court decisions have redefined corruption in campaign finance law, with increasing focus on the post-January 6 political landscape.
Scientific Awards:
- Dickerson-Brown award for Excellence in Faculty Scholarship (2014)
- Lawyers of Color's "50 Under 50" list of minority law professors (2013)
- Homer & Dolly Hand Award for Excellence in Faculty Research (2019)
Professor Torres-Spelliscy has been active in professional organizations, serving as Chair of the AALS Section on Election Law starting in 2018 and as a member of the AALS Section on Constitutional Law Executive Committee since 2020. She has testified before Congress and state legislative bodies as an expert on campaign finance reform and has helped draft legislation and Supreme Court briefs. Her work with the Brennan Center for Justice has informed policy discussions at the highest levels of government.
