Category: Democracy Amendments

Welcome the Monahan Brothers to Washington!

Five months ago, two brothers—both veterans and both in their sixties—set out to walk across the US for democracy.

Like the overwhelming majority of Americans, Laird and Robin Monahan disagreed strongly with the 5-4 Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission that confirmed that “corporations are persons” and have the constitution right of “free speech” under the First Amendment. But, instead of getting cynical, they got walking.

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Blagojevich and Legal Bribery

By SCOTT TUROW Published: August 17, 2010 The New York Times Chicago “With all respect to Wanda Brandstetter, the Constitutional amendment this nation most urgently requires is one that reverses the notion that unrestricted political spending deserves protection as free speech. Without that, who could fault a juror for looking around at contemporary political life
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New Groups Aim to Spend Big on Election Ads

By SHARON THEIMER, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two new groups – one Republican-leaning, the other pro-Democratic – seeking to capitalize on a Supreme Court ruling allowing the use of unlimited donations for ads targeting candidates have gotten the go-ahead from election officials.

The Federal Election Commission on Thursday approved plans by the conservative Club for Growth and by Democratic activists to collect big contributions for ads on candidates. Both say the committees set up to run the ads will disclose their donors and spending to the FEC in publicly available reports.

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Three questions with Jeffrey Clements

By Patrick Ball/Staff Writer, GateHouse News Service

Concord — The Massachusetts Corporate Political Accountability Act is strong start but doesn’t fix the problem created by the Citizens United decision, according to Concord lawyer Jeffrey Clements.

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