A new op-ed in the Portland Press Herald by Free Speech For People’s Legal Director Courtney Hostetler and Counsel Amira Mattar makes the case that Maine voters have the right to prohibit foreign government-influenced corporations from spending money to try and sway Maine’s elections.

They write:

The ballot measure passed in Maine effectively puts an end to this pathway of influence by foreign government-owned corporations, something the state is constitutionally permitted to do. Maine has a compelling state interest in preventing these corporations from spending money to influence elections in order to protect and preserve Maine’s democratic self-government.

Maine’s interest in preserving its democratic self-government warrants the respect that courts have historically afforded it. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit should overturn the district court, and affirm Maine’s ability to protect its elections from foreign government influence, even where that influence passes through U.S.-based corporations.

In June, Free Speech For People filed an amicus brief supporting the state of Maine’s appeal of a district court decision that enjoined a law limiting foreign government influence in state and local elections. Despite being passed by a historic margin of voters within the state, the District Court of Maine, at the behest of a small group of corporate interests, temporarily blocked the law in February 2024 based on the erroneous premise that the law is inconsistent with Citizens United. The state is now seeking vacatur of that decision before the First Circuit Court of Appeals.

Read the full op-ed here.

Learn more about the amicus brief here.

Learn more about the case here. 

Learn more about legislative efforts to preserve American self-government here.