Must Read: Ballot petition on app-based deliveries masks proponents’ true intent Posted on May 29, 2024 (May 29, 2024) Challenging Foreign Influence Free Speech For People’s Legal Director Courtney Hostetler and Counsel Amira Mattar published an opinion essay in Mass Live this week arguing that foreign-influenced corporations should not be allowed to proceed with a deceptive ballot petition campaign to exempt app-based drivers in MA from state protections. They write: The ballot petition process ensures that theRead More
The FEC Attempts to Evade Judicial Review, Government Watchdogs Call for Oral Arguments on Alleged Illegal Coordination between the Trump Campaign and Russia Posted on May 10, 2024 Challenging Foreign Influence Plaintiffs’ file reply in support of a motion for oral arguments in Free Speech For People v. Federal Election Commission WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 10, 2024) – Nonpartisan, nonprofit organizations Free Speech For People and Campaign for Accountability have filed a reply in support of their motion for oral argument. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) hadRead More
Free Speech Files Amicus Brief before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court against Unconstitutional Petitions Exempting App-Based Drivers From State Protections Posted on April 26, 2024 (April 26, 2024) Challenging Foreign Influence Free Speech For People filed an amicus brief today in El Koussa v. Campbell, in support of voters who have asked the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court to block placement of five petitions on the November 2024 ballot that would exclude app-based drivers in Massachusetts from state benefits and protections. The petitions were introduced by representativesRead More
New Op-ed in Forbes Highlights Threats Posed by Foreign Investors to Undermine US Elections and The Need for Critical Reforms to Preserve Democracy Posted on March 28, 2024 Challenging Foreign Influence In a new article published in Forbes, Ian Simmons provides a detailed account of how foreign investors undermine the US economy and US elections. In a survey of just six states released earlier this year, nonpartisan watchdog OpenSecrets uncovered that at least $163 million of foreign-influenced cash flooded those states’ races between 2018-2022. OpenSecrets showedRead More
Hawaii State Senate Passes Bill Barring Multinational Corporations from Spending Money to Influence Local and State Elections Posted on March 5, 2024 Challenging Foreign Influence 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, 2024) – The Hawaii State Senate today passed unanimously and with bipartisan support SB3243, a bill prohibiting foreign-influenced corporations from spending money to influence local and stateRead More
Free Speech For People’s Statement on Preliminary Injunction Ruling in Case Re Maine’s Ban on Foreign Government Corporate Spending in Elections Posted on March 1, 2024 (March 1, 2024) Challenging Foreign Influence On Thursday, the federal district court in Maine granted a group of corporate plaintiffs’ motions to temporarily block a historic ballot measure prohibiting foreign government-influenced corporations from unlimited spending in Maine state and local elections. Thursday’s ruling, which is only temporary, will stop this important protection from going into effect while a full legal challengeRead More
Free Speech For People’s Statement on Preliminary Injunction Ruling in Case Re Maine’s Ban on Foreign Government Corporate Spending in Elections Posted on March 1, 2024 Challenging Foreign Influence On Thursday, the federal district court in Maine granted a group of corporate plaintiffs’ motions to temporarily block a historic ballot measure prohibiting foreign government-influenced corporations from unlimited spending in Maine state and local elections. Thursday’s ruling, which is only temporary, will stop this important protection from going into effect while a full legal challengeRead More
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