Burlington Free Press

Nicole Gaudiano

April 14, 2012

WASHINGTON — Sen. Bernie Sanders is among congressional lawmakers leading the call for a constitutional amendment to end corporate spending in elections.

But his ideas on “corporate personhood,” the treatment of corporations as people under the law, are drawing criticism from some amendment advocates. They say his approach unfairly favors unions and nonprofit corporations and might clash with the wishes of some Vermonters.

The Vermont independent’s amendment resolution — and an identical House resolution co-sponsored by Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt. — aims to overturn the Supreme Court’s controversial 2010 ruling in Citizens United v. the Federal Election Commission that gave corporations and unions the same First Amendment rights as people to spend unlimited money on campaign ads.

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