USA TODAY: Hawaii Advances Bill to Bar Multinational Corporations from Spending Money to Influence Elections Posted on February 26, 2024 Challenging Foreign Influence The USA Today reports that Hawaii is advancing new legislation (SB3243) to protect state and local elections from foreign-influenced corporations: State Senator Chris Lee, the bill’s sponsor, says the bill is “basically a mechanism to ensure that foreign influence doesn’t penetrate our elections in Hawaii.” “We have a lot of foreign activity in Hawaii beingRead More
Over $67 Million Spent To Influence Elections, New OpenSecrets Report Highlights the Role of Foreign-Influenced Corporations’ Spending in Washington State Elections Posted on January 23, 2024 (January 24, 2024) Challenging Foreign Influence State and National Advocates Urge the Washington Legislature to Take Action to Pass HB 1885 and Defend Democracy SEATTLE, WA (January 23, 2024) – Open Secrets, a national research and government transparency group, released a new case study today of state-level political expenditures by foreign-influenced corporations. Of the six states detailed in the report, Washington StateRead More
Free Speech For People Files Amicus Brief to Protect Maine’s Ban on Foreign Government Corporate Spending in Elections Posted on January 12, 2024 (January 12, 2024) Challenging Foreign Influence Free Speech For People, joined by Peter J. Brann of the Maine law firm Brann & Isaacson, filed an amicus brief today in defense of Maine’s new law prohibiting foreign government influence in state and local elections. In November 2023, Maine voters passed by a resounding margin (86%) a ballot measure prohibiting foreign government-influenced corporationsRead More
New York State Senate Cracks Down on Multinational Corporations Interfering in State Elections, Passes Democracy Preservation Act Posted on January 10, 2024 Challenging Foreign Influence If passed in the Assembly and signed into law, New York would be the second state to ban multinational corporate money in elections. ALBANY, NY (January 9, 2024) – On January 8th, the New York State Senate passed, with bipartisan support, the Democracy Preservation Act (S371), a bill designed to end the influence of foreignRead More
San Jose bars multinational corporations from spending money to influence city elections Posted on January 9, 2024 (January 11, 2024) Challenging Foreign Influence Following Minnesota and Seattle, the San Jose City Council passed a landmark bill on Tuesday that bans foreign corporate spending in city elections. SAN JOSE, CA (January 9, 2024) – Today, the San Jose City Council approved a landmark campaign finance law that will combat the influence of foreign corporate spending in city elections. TheRead More
Free Speech For People’s Statement on Preliminary Injunction Ruling in Case Re Minnesota Law Prohibiting Foreign-Influenced Corporate Spending in Elections Posted on December 20, 2023 Challenging Foreign Influence Today, the Minnesota federal district court granted the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce’s motion to temporarily block a groundbreaking 2023 law that prevents foreign-influenced corporate spending in Minnesota elections. The ruling, which is only temporary, will stop this important law from going into effect while the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce’s legal challenge is pending in court,Read More
In unanimous vote, San Jose bars multinational corporations from spending money to influence city elections Posted on December 13, 2023 (December 13, 2023) Challenging Foreign Influence Following Minnesota and Seattle, the San Jose City Council passed a landmark bill on Tuesday that bans foreign corporate spending in city elections. SAN JOSE, CA (December 13, 2023) – The San Jose City Council unanimously voted Tuesday night in favor of a landmark campaign finance law that will combat the influence of foreign corporateRead More
Free Speech For People and Clean Elections Minnesota File Amicus Brief to Protect Minnesota’s Ban on Foreign-Influenced Corporate Spending in Elections Posted on December 5, 2023 Challenging Foreign Influence Free Speech For People and the Minnesota law firm, Lockridge Grindal Nauen, on behalf of Clean Elections Minnesota, filed an amicus brief on Monday, December 4 in federal court in opposition to the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce’s motion for preliminary injunction. The Chamber seeks to block a provision of Minnesota’s landmark democracy bill that wouldRead More
To Help Protect The Democracy For The People Act, Free Speech For People Files Motion To Intervene Posted on August 25, 2023 (September 6, 2023) Challenging Foreign Influence Free Speech For People, on behalf of Clean Elections Minnesota, defends against challenge to law banning political spending by foreign-influenced corporations. ST. PAUL, MN (August 25, 2023) – Free Speech For People, on behalf of Clean Elections Minnesota, today filed court papers to intervene in a corporate lobby’s lawsuit seeking to block enforcement of Minnesota’sRead More
New CAP Report Covers Nationwide Momentum to Ban Foreign-Influenced Corporate Spending in Elections Posted on June 28, 2023 Challenging Foreign Influence Our democracy is meant to serve the American people, not foreign interests. As the Center for American Progress (CAP) states in a report published this week, foreign investors now own a staggering 40 percent of U.S. corporate stock. Ninety-eight percent of S&P 500 companies are at least 5 percent foreign-owned. The ability of these investorsRead More