Category: Challenging Foreign Influence

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives today voted 146 to 56 to protect Pennsylvania elections from foreign-influenced corporate spending, passing HB497 and moving the Commonwealth one step closer to closing a major loophole that allows foreign investors to influence state and local elections. Sponsored by State Representative Joe Webster, HB497 would prohibit corporations with significant foreign
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HARRISBURG, PA (May 5, 2026) – Today, the Pennsylvania House State Government Committee advanced HB497, model legislation which prohibits foreign-influenced corporations from spending money to influence local and state elections. If enacted, this bill would close a significant loophole to preserve American self-government and to strengthen democracy in Pennsylvania. MarchOnHarrisburg, Free Speech For People, and
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Honolulu, Hawaii (March 10, 2026) – The Hawaii State Senate today passed unanimously with bipartisan support SB2982, a bill prohibiting foreign-influenced corporations from spending money to influence local and state elections. The legislation, introduced by Senator Chris Lee, would bar corporations with significant foreign ownership from contributing to candidates, parties, or committees (including super PACs)
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On January 21, 2026, Free Speech For People and local counsel Peter J. Brann filed an amicus brief in federal district court in support of Maine’s law prohibiting political spending by corporations that are substantially owned by foreign governments. A historic margin of Maine voters voted in favor of the law in 2022, which defines
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Bill moves one step closer to New York barring foreign-influenced corporations from spending in state and local elections ALBANY, NY (January 12, 2026) – The New York State Senate today passed, with bipartisan support, the Democracy Preservation Act (S324), landmark legislation designed to block multinational corporations with significant foreign ownership from spending money to influence
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Rabbi Michael Pollack and FSFP Campaign Organizer Jax Foley have a new op-ed in Penn Live urging Pennsylvania lawmakers to pass HB497, closing a dangerous loophole that allows foreign-influenced corporations to spend money in state and local elections. They write: Foreign-influenced corporations can drown out the voices of Pennsylvania residents, skewing policies on everything from
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If passed in the House and signed into law, Hawaii would be the second state following Minnesota to ban multinational corporate money in elections. Honolulu, Hawaii (March 5, 2025) – The Hawaii State Senate yesterday passed unanimously and with bipartisan support SB1032, a bill prohibiting foreign-influenced corporations from spending money to influence local and state
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SPRINGFIELD, IL  –  Illinois lawmakers are considering a bill to preserve American self-government by closing a significant loophole that allows foreign-influenced corporations to spend money to influence Illinois elections.  The legislation, introduced in the House by Representative Amy Briel (HB3071), would prohibit corporations from spending money in Illinois elections if a single foreign investor holds
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In a decision that tramples over a state’s right to protect its own democratic self-governance from foreign interference, a federal district court judge in Minnesota on February 7, 2025, permanently enjoined Minn. Stat. § 211B.15, a Minnesota statute that bars foreign-influenced corporations from spending unlimited money in Minnesota’s elections. The decision undermines the state’s authority
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If passed in the Assembly and signed into law, New York would be the second state following Minnesota to ban foreign-influenced corporations from spending money to influence state and local elections.  ALBANY, NY (January 14, 2025) – On January 13th, the New York State Senate passed, with bipartisan support, the Democracy Preservation Act (S324), a
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