Maryland Lawmakers Consider Bill to Prohibit Election Spending by Foreign-Influenced Corporations Posted on February 5, 2020 (June 18, 2020) Challenging Foreign Influence Maryland’s lawmakers are current considering an important bill that would prohibit spending by foreign-influenced corporations in Maryland elections. Although the legislation is still in early stages, Maryland has taken an important step toward protecting the state’s democratic self-government. The legislation, introduced in the House of Delegates by Delegate Julie Palakovich-Carr (H.B. 34) and in theRead More
Pacific Legal Foundation Blatantly Misrepresents Seattle’s New Campaign Finance Law Posted on January 31, 2020 (May 29, 2020) Challenging Foreign Influence The Pacific Legal Foundation recently posted a criticism of bold new Seattle law, part of a larger package known as the Clean Campaigns Act, that bans political spending by foreign-influenced corporations. Unfortunately, the Pacific Legal Foundation has blatantly misrepresented the law. In Seattle, the Pacific Legal Foundation may be best known for its unsuccessful (soRead More
Americans Overwhelmingly Support Banning Foreign Corporate Spending in Elections Posted on January 14, 2020 (June 2, 2020) Challenging Foreign Influence A recent survey conducted by Civis Analytics on behalf of the Center for American Progress Action Fund found strong bipartisan support for banning corporate spending in elections from corporations with significant foreign ownership. Of the 2,633 voters interviewed for the survey, 73 percent said they supported spending limits on U.S. companies with “any” foreign ownership.Read More
FEC Commissioner Ellen Weintraub Makes the Case In Support of Seattle’s New Landmark Campaign Finance Law Posted on January 14, 2020 (June 2, 2020) Challenging Foreign Influence FEC Commissioner Ellen Weintraub argues in a New York Times opinion piece why Seattle’s new law banning foreign-influenced corporations from spending money in Seattle elections is constitutional and correct. Commissioner Weintraub writes: “Seattle, along with other cities and states, doesn’t need to worry. No court has ever come close to holding that the Federal ElectionRead More
Following Amazon $1.5 Million Campaign to Try to Remake the Seattle City Council, Lawmakers Ban Foreign-Influenced Corporations from Spending in City Elections Posted on January 13, 2020 (June 2, 2020) Challenging Foreign Influence The Seattle City Council voted 7-0 to pass landmark bill on Monday, effectively banning foreign corporate spending in city elections. SEATTLE, WA (January 13, 2020) – The Seattle City Council voted today to pass a landmark campaign finance law that combats the influence of foreign corporate spending in city elections. The legislation, introduced by CouncilmemberRead More
Lawmakers Seek to Close Loophole to Stop Foreign-Influenced Corporations From Influencing Maryland Elections Posted on January 6, 2020 (June 2, 2020) Challenging Foreign Influence Delegate Palakovich Carr and Senator Lam Prefiled a Bill that would Protect Maryland Elections from Foreign-Influenced Corporations. ANNAPOLIS, MD (January 6, 2020) – Delegate Julie Palakovich Carr and Senator Clarence Lam prefiled a bill that would prohibit spending by foreign-influenced corporations in Maryland elections. The bill would require corporations that spend money in Maryland electionsRead More
New CAP Report on Ending Foreign-Influenced Corporate Spending in U.S. Elections Highlights Problem, Validates FSFP’s Work Posted on November 21, 2019 (June 18, 2020) Challenging Foreign Influence A new report from the Center for American Progress, written by senior fellow Michael Sozan, highlights the problem of political spending by foreign-influenced corporations. The report—which cites Free Speech For People’s pioneering legislative work in places like Seattle, St. Petersburg, and Massachusetts—proposes banning political spending by partially-foreign-owned corporations, using the same thresholds for foreign ownershipRead More
Amazon vs. Democracy: Foreign Influence In The Seattle City Council Elections Posted on November 1, 2019 (June 12, 2020) Challenging Foreign Influence As of last week, Amazon has poured over $1.5 million into Seattle’s upcoming city council election through the local Chamber of Commerce’s super PAC, The Civil Alliance for a Sound Economy. That total represents more than the combined total raised by candidates without Amazon’s backing. As Rachel Lauter, executive director of the Working Washington advocacy group, saidRead More
Report: Saudi-Led Oil Lobby Group Financed 2012 Dark Money Attack Ads Posted on December 4, 2012 (October 30, 2020) Challenging Foreign Influence A new report in The Nation on Friday details how the so-called American Petroleum Institute, a major lobbying group for Big Oil, is both funded in part by a Saudi oil company and directed in part by a registered foreign agent for Saudi Arabia who heads a subsidiary of that Saudi oil company. It also reports that the Institute’s 2011 tax returns show almost half a million dollars in gifts to dark-money organizations that ran attack ads in America’s most recent elections — and that’s just what the Big Oil group spent in 2011. Just imagine what the 2012 figures could be. Read More
Alaska Dispatch: “Foreign corporations funnel millions into US elections” Posted on October 24, 2012 (October 16, 2020) Challenging Foreign Influence The Alaska Dispatch has a new story on foreign corporate spending on our elections. Excerpts are below. Caveat: while the article accurately notes that it’s illegal for foreign individuals to spend money to influence U.S. elections, the article is incorrect in asserting that such spending by corporations is also illegal. Unfortunately for all of us, Citizens United removed such restrictions on corporate spending, which is one of many serious reasons we must overturn it with a constitutional amendment. Read More