VIDEO: Free Speech For People And Our Fight To End Foreign-Influenced Corporate Spending in Our Elections Posted on March 31, 2021 (April 2, 2021) Challenging Foreign Influence Free Speech For People has been at the forefront in the fight to end foreign-influenced corporate campaign spending, researching, drafting, and advocating for legislation on all levels of government. We helped to successfully pass laws in St. Petersburg, Florida in 2017, and in Seattle, Washington in 2020. Seven states (Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, NewRead 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
Center for Public Integrity: How Russian money and influence slipped through cracks in the US legal system Posted on October 25, 2018 Alex Finley of the Center for Public Integrity reports on how foreign money can influence our elections, using Russian electoral influence as an example. As the article notes, the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United ruling created a loophole for foreign interests to spend money in U.S. elections through corporations: Foreigners can also exert influence through U.S.Read More
SpeechNow v. FEC – The Case that Created Super PACs, and Our Challenge Posted on January 27, 2018 (January 24, 2018) January 27 marks the eighth anniversary of oral argument in the case that created super PACs. Contrary to popular belief, super PACs were not created by the Supreme Court in Citizens United, but rather by a subsequent lower court decision called SpeechNow v. FEC, argued on January 27, 2010 (just six days after the Citizens United decision). As weRead More
Ellen Weintraub to Tampa Bay Times: Defend Our Democracy Ordinance Op-Ed Posted on June 20, 2017 (October 3, 2018) Federal Election Commissioner Ellen Weintraub penned an op-ed today to the Tampa Bay Times, on our proposed ordinance in St. Petersburg to abolish super PACs and limit foreign influence in local elections. Read More
“St. Pete, let’s take a bite out of Citizens United” Posted on September 26, 2016 (October 2, 2018) Read the latest on our work in St. Petersburg, to end super PACs and foreign-influenced corporate spending.Read More
FSFP Launches New Campaign to Support St. Petersburg Proposed Ordinance To Fight Big Money Posted on August 24, 2016 (August 24, 2016) Free Speech For People & partners launched a pledge campaign to build up support for the St. Petersburg City Council’s efforts to end super PACs and limit foreign corporate money in local elections. Read More
Watch: St. Petersburg City Council Hearing on Proposed Ordinance to #FightBigMoney Posted on August 11, 2016 (August 11, 2016) Watch a recording of the presentation of the proposed St. Petersburg city ordinance, including public testimonials of support and the final vote by city council members. Read More
John Bonifaz, Scott Greytak & John Nichols Discuss A City Ordinance to End Big Money Posted on July 28, 2016 (July 28, 2016) Free Speech For People and The Nation magazine’s John Nichols discuss a proposed City Ordinance to end super PAC spending and foreign corporate money in St. Petersburg elections.Read More
The American Prospect: Plotting the End of Super PACs Posted on July 21, 2016 (October 2, 2018) The American Prospect reported on our latest initiative to abolish super PAC spending and ban foreign-influenced corporations from spending in local Florida elections. Read More