In 2010, the United States Supreme Court’s ruling in the Citizens United case opened the floodgates to unlimited spending by corporations in our elections. Shockingly, the court held that the First Amendment prohibited the government from restricting political expenditures by corporations.
In that year alone, corporations, including Big Oil and Big Coal, spent more than $300 million flooding our airwaves with television and radio hit pieces attacking candidates and seeking to use their corporate coffers to buy our democracy. We expect they will engage in even more outrageous spending in the primary and general elections this year.
Please sign our petition for a constitutional amendment to overturn the Citizens United ruling and reclaim our democracy for the people, not for polluting corporations.
This year in California, grassroots advocates have an unprecedented opportunity to elect an environmental majority to the state legislature. Major election changes like redistricting and the new open primary system – which allows Californians to vote for any candidate in a primary election regardless of party affiliation, with the top two vote-getters facing off in November – mean that there are more competitive races across the state than ever before.
These contests provide an opportunity for electing new environmental champions and re-electing those environmental leaders in the legislature who have stood strong for our air, water and land. Unfortunately, more competitive races also means there are more opportunities for big polluters to pour seemingly unlimited dollars into the campaigns of candidates who will represent their interests, which is why our electoral work this year is even more important.
Please take a stand for our democracy: add your name to CLCV’s petition calling for a Constitutional Amendment to overturn Citizens United.
In the coming weeks we’ll be talking a lot about our election year work, including announcing more of our 2012 endorsements and other campaign finance solutions like supporting the California Disclose Act.
Until then, thanks for all you do to protect California’s environment and the health of our democracy.
– Warner Chabot, CEO, California League of Conservation Voters
