Massachusetts announced on May 1, 2019, the members of the first-in-the-nation, 15-member non-partisan Citizen Commission to advance the state’s policy in favor of an amendment to the United States Constitution to address concerns about corruption, undue influence, and unequal citizenship as a result of unlimited political spending and growing power of global corporations in American politics.  

The 15 citizens appointed to serve on the Committee include business people, teachers, law professors, a leader of a voting rights and civic engagement organization, and a first-generation college student now pursuing a masters at Boston University, among others.

The Citizens Commission resulted from a law passed by 71 percent of Massachusetts voters in a citizens ballot initiative in November. Over 1,000 volunteers helped speak with hundreds of thousands of voters and collect over 130,000 signatures to place Question 2 on the ballot. The effort is part of a national strategy led by American Promise to empower citizens in all 50 states to win a Constitutional amendment to combat corruption and secure the equal rights of Americans to self-government.  

The Commission will examine the influence of money in Massachusetts politics, give recommendations on the best approaches to an effective constitutional amendment, and prepare Massachusetts to ratify the amendment when it is passed by Congress.

Commissioners will hold hearings to provide Massachusetts citizens a chance to be heard on how money in politics impacts their lives and what kind of reform they want an amendment to achieve.

Congratulations to our friends at American Promise on the formation of the first Citizen Commission on money in politics!

Click here for more information on the Citizen Commission.