Maine Public Radio recently published a segment on foreign-influenced corporate spending in elections which featured FSFP Legal Director Ron Fein. Throughout the segment, Fein discussed the need to fight against foreign influence in Maine, where a contentious ballot measure has prompted a state-wide discussion on the issue of democratic self-government.

“Our position is that the (referendum) decision should be made by the people of Maine and that funding for the ballot measure campaign should be predominantly from the people of Maine, and not from the foreign-influenced corporations on both sides of the funding of the ballot measure campaign right now,” said Fein.

Fein recently testified on a number of proposed bills that could limit political spending by foreign-influenced corporations in Maine. During his testimony, Fein provided a number of amendments that could strengthen the proposed bills in Maine to mirror similar legislation passed last year in Seattle WA, and which is pending in New York and other states where Free Speech For People has fought to limit foreign influence in elections.

“This type of legislation would take a large bite of Citizens United. It would undo a substantial amount of the damage that Citizens United caused,” said Fein.

Listen to the full segment here.

Learn more about how we’re challenging foreign influence in elections here.