Campaign to End Corporate Money in Politics Heats Up

Condemning corporate money in politics, CWAers and allies call to overturn the Supreme Court's decision that "corporations are people."

There's been lots of action in the effort by CWA and allies to end the destructive expansion of corporate money in politics resulting from the 2010 U.S. Supreme Court "Citizens United" decision.

New Mexico is now the second state, following Hawaii's lead, where lawmakers in the Senate are on record strongly opposing Citizens United and corporate money in politics.

In a memorial statement, the New Mexico Senate pointed out that the Supreme Court's decision "unleashes a torrent of corporate money into the political process unmatched by any campaign expenditure totals in U.S. history" and that the ruling "invalidates state laws and even state constitutional provisions separating corporate money from elections."

Separately, CWA, People for the American Way, and 48 other organizations sent a letter to the chairmen and ranking members of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, calling for hearings to explore constitutional remedies to overturn the Citizens United decision.

"In Citizens United, the Supreme Court ruled that corporations are guaranteed the same free speech rights as real people to influence elections, thereby ruling that governmental restrictions on corporate spending to influence elections are invalid and unconstitutional. Only amending the Constitution can fully secure the American people's authority to regulate corporate influence in our elections and restore our democracy," they wrote.

Activists held more than 350 events in 49 states marking the two-year anniversary of Citizens United; town hall and public meetings are being planned for next month.