It was 14 years ago today that the Supreme Court issued its infamously anti-democratic Citizens United ruling.

Public Citizen called for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United within moments of the decision being handed down on January 21, 2010.

And we’ve been a leader of that movement ever since.

Here’s what Sen. Bernie Sanders said just this week about Public Citizen’s role in the fight to save our democracy from the scourge of money in politics:

“Citizens United was one of the most disastrous decisions in the history of the United States. At a time when too many Americans are giving up on democracy, I’m grateful to organizations like Public Citizen who understand the enormously important work that lies before us.”

For 14 years, billionaires and Big Business have been free to spend literally as much as they want “influencing” — i.e. corrupting and distorting — our elections.

People sense, accurately, that America is becoming a plutocracy — a nation of, by, and for the rich, the rest of us be damned — which gives conspiracists and demagogues an opening to offer false solutions and to exploit fascistic impulses.

The very future of our democracy is hanging in the balance.

Here are just a few highlights of the work Public Citizen is doing to combat Citizens United:

• We are continuing to organize for formal amendment resolutions in cities and states all across America.

• Right now, we’re concentrating our work heavily in Michigan and Minnesota.

• Wins in those two key states will add to our already remarkable progress, bringing the total to 24 states — along with over 800 cities and towns — that will have passed resolutions or ballot initiatives in support of an amendment to overturn Citizens United.

• We are organizing call-in days, mobilizing social media activists, and lobbying on Capitol Hill here in Washington, D.C., to grow the ranks of congressional co-sponsors for an amendment.

• Just three weeks into this new year, there have already been more than a dozen new co-sponsors for an amendment to overturn Citizens United in Congress.

• We convened a nationwide movement call this past week with peer organizations and hundreds of participants — including Sen. Bernie Sanders — to illuminate the ongoing destruction caused by Citizens United, to advocate essential solutions, and to re-energize democracy activists from coast to coast.

Of course, our 14-year campaign to overturn Citizens United is just one example of the kinds of things Public Citizen does — day in and day out, working behind the scenes in all three branches of government at the federal, state, and local levels — to confront corporate power and anti-democratic forces.

Can you chip in today to help make sure we have the real-world financial resources to keep fighting corporate greed and anti-democracy extremism?

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If donating is not a good fit, I understand. Either way, I wanted to make sure you knew about our ongoing work to fight Citizens United and to protect democracy.

Thank you for reading this and for being part of this shared project called Public Citizen.

For democracy,

- Robert Weissman, President of Public Citizen
 
 
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