For years, a flawed lower court decision from 2010 has allowed billionaires, corporations, and other monied interests to pour unlimited contributions into super PACs, drowning out the voices of ordinary Americans. Mainers voted overwhelmingly to ban them.
Now, two super PACs are asking the courts to overturn that decision and strike down the law.
When we filed our brief, our Legal Director Courtney Hostetler explained why this case matters:
"Our system—in which a candidate's ability to attract megadonors to super PACs is an enormous factor in their campaign's success—has created conditions that are ripe for corruption. Mainers have taken a stand against this broken system by passing a reasonable, constitutional law limiting contributions to political action committees. It should be upheld."
This week’s oral argument is about more than one state's law. It is about whether states have the constitutional authority to protect their elections from corruption and restore public trust in our democracy.
Free Speech For People will keep fighting to defend the will of Maine voters—and to challenge the legal framework that gave rise to today's super PAC system.
If you believe our democracy should never be for sale, please chip in what you can today to help power this fight.
