The End Of Citizen’s United? Senate Takes First Step

Monday, Senators Tester and Walsh voted to move toward stopping the unregulated flow of corporate funds to political candidates.

The measure would overturn the Citizen’s United decision and create more accountability in political campaigns by allowing federal and state governments to pass laws to curtail large corporate campaign donations.

Senator John Walsh:

“The Citizens United ruling was a harmful blow to our fair elections process, and we must act to reverse it,” Walsh said. “When Montanans passed campaign finance reform 100 years ago, they knew that multimillion dollar corporations should not get to decide who represents us. I am confident that with the help of my Senate colleagues, we will ensure anonymous, unaccountable corporate spending will not drown out the voices of everyday Americans.”

Senator Jon Tester:

“What makes America great is the belief that everyone has a say in the decisions we make.  That each of us, from the richest to the poorest, has an equal stake in electing our leaders,” Tester said before today’s vote.  “But the Supreme Court can’t seem to figure that out.  It’s time to overturn Citizens United.  It’s time to put people and their ideas back in charge of our elections.”

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, spending by outside groups in the 2014 election cycle is three times higher than the amount spent at the same point in the last mid-term election cycle in 2010.  As of the end of August, outside groups have spent $170 million on federal mid-term races.

Monday’s vote allows the Senate to debate the measure on the Senate floor in the coming days.