In Bi-Partisan vote, New Hampshire State House calls for a U.S. constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United Posted on March 21, 2013 (December 11, 2020) Democracy Amendments Update: This was a bi-partisan vote, with 10 Republican Representatives joining Demoracts in passing this resolution. For Immediate ReleaseMarch 20, 2013 Read More
Democracy Subverted Again: Tobacco Companies Strike Down Public Interest Law By Claiming Corporate First Amendment Rights Posted on March 20, 2013 (December 11, 2020) Corporate Abuse of Power Here’s an illustration of how the fabricated claim that corporations have constitutional rights, which was at the core of the Citizens United decision, really hits home. The tobacco industry recently won a court ruling that graphic warnings on cigarette packages violate the cigarette manufacturing corporations’ "free speech" rights.Read More
The Nation: ‘Organizing for Action’ or ‘Charging for Access’? Posted on March 16, 2013 (December 7, 2020) Defending Key Reforms The Nation has a thoughtful opinion piece by Katrina vanden Heuvel on Organizing For Action, the new 501(c)(4) entity headed by former Obama campaign manager Jim Messina. It quotes our co-founder and Executive Director, John Bonifaz. Here it is, below. ‘Organizing for Action’ or ‘Charging for Access’? Katrina vanden Heuvel on March 7, 2013 – 5:58 PM ET What are we to make of Organizing for Action? Read More
Overturning Citizens United: Is a Constitutional Amendment the Best Path to Limit Dark Money? Posted on March 13, 2013 (December 7, 2020) Democracy Amendments John Bonifaz, executive director and co-founder of Free Speech For People, joined Democracy Now for a debate with Mark Schmitt, a senior fellow at the Roosevelt Institute, to discuss whether the push for a constitutional amendment is the best path to overturning Citizens United. Read More
Washington State House to Congress: Get Big Money Out of Politics Posted on March 8, 2013 (December 7, 2020) Democracy Amendments Update: This was a bi-partisan vote, with Republican Rep. Jan Angell joining Democrats in approving the resolution. For Immediate ReleaseMarch 8, 2013 Read More
In bipartisan vote, Montana Senate calls for an amendment Posted on March 6, 2013 (December 7, 2020) Democracy Amendments On February 27th, the Montana State Senate voted to approve State Senate Joint Resolution 19, "encouraging Montana’s elected and appointed state and federal officials to work to amend the constitution… to overturn… Citizens United…". Eight Republican State Senators (Ron Arthun, Edward Buttrey, Jennifer Fielder, Llew Jones, Alan Olson, Scott Sales, Bruce Tutvedt, and Chas Vincent) joined Democrats in supporting the measure. Read More
The New York Times: The White House Joins the Cash Grab Posted on March 4, 2013 (December 7, 2020) Defending Key Reforms The New York Times Editorial March 2, 2013 It is tempting to applaud the nonprofit group now spending nearly $100,000 on ads to pressure Republican lawmakers to accept gun-control measures. The group is fighting a well-financed and powerful corporate gun lobby that has never hesitated to spend millions to get its way in Congress. Read More
From The Nation: The Election Reform Moment? Posted on February 26, 2013 (November 24, 2020) Democracy Amendments The Nation John Nichols This article appeared in the February 18, 2013 edition of The Nation. Excerpt: Read More
Supreme Court lets ban stand on direct corporate campaign donations Posted on February 26, 2013 (November 24, 2020) Defending Key Reforms The Washington Post Robert Barnes February 25, 2013 The Supreme Court on Monday decided against reviewing the century-old ban on corporations making direct contributions to federal candidates. The court without comment declined to hear an appeal from two men who said the court’s 2010 decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, which allowed corporations and unions to spend unlimited amounts on elections, must also nullify the ban on campaign contributions. Read More
After Launching Multimillion Dollar Lobbying Effort, White House Moves to Affirm Support for Overturning Citizens United Posted on February 25, 2013 (November 24, 2020) Democracy Amendments Advocates Urge President to Pass Congress to Pass Amendment Bill and Send it to the States for Ratification WASHINGTON, DC. – On Friday, the White House released an official response to a petition initiated by Free Speech For People that had urged him to “use the State of the Union to call for a constitutional amendment to get big money out of politics,” even whiRead More