CLCV is proud to announce our support for a Constitutional Amendment to overturn the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United.
Unlimited corporate political contributions are a significant threat to open and fair elections, and to the quality and safety of our land, water and air.
CLCV CEO Warner Chabot issued the following letter today supporting the Joint Assembly Resolution Urging Congress to Overturn Citizens United.
The Honorable Bob Wieckowski
California State Assembly
PO Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0020
RE: Support of Joint Assembly Resolution Urging Congress to Overturn Citizens United
Dear Assemblymember Wieckowski:
On behalf of the 50,000 members and activists of the California League of Conservation Voters, I write in support of the Joint Assembly Resolution urging Congress to pass a constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.
In Citizens United, the Supreme Court ruled that corporations have a First Amendment right to spend unlimited amounts of money to promote or defeat political candidates. This rush of corporate money from corporate polluters — who expect lawmakers to repay them once in office by subsidizing dangerous industry practices and supporting lax environmental regulations — threatens environmental protections and will have devastating effects on the environment:
- Current members of Congress have accepted over $25 million in campaign contributions from the oil, coal, and gas industries. In March 2011, an attempt by Rep. Keating (D-MA) to remove massive subsidies and tax breaks for the oil and gas industry was defeated. Representatives who voted against the measure received on average 2.7 times more “dirty energy money” in the last election cycle than those who voted in favor of it.
- In an April 7, 2011 vote on a bill to prevent the EPA from regulating greenhouse gases, those lawmakers voting in favor received over five times as much money from the dirty energy sector than those opposed . The bill passed the house 236-172.
- Agribusiness giants have successfully used their political influence to limit or weaken regulation of pesticides and wastes that pollute our water and air, while seeking government subsidies – such as those in the Farm Bill – that perpetuate these harmful practices. In the 2010 election cycle, candidates received over $45 million from agribusiness.
- A recent study by Common Cause found that natural gas interests have spent more than $747 million during a 10-year campaign to avoid government regulation of hydraulic “fracking,” a fast-growing and environmentally risky process to tap underground gas reserves. Over the past decade, the fracking industry spent $726 million on lobbying and gave $20.5 million to current members of Congress.
Since Congress cannot overturn the decision through legislation alone, and because even the most dedicated environmental champions in office are likely to be outspent by corporate polluters and their political allies, CLCV supports passage of the Joint Assembly Resolution urging Congress to pass a constitutional amendment to overturn the Citizens United decision.
Sincerely,
Warner Chabot
Chief Executive Officer
