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John,
In 2020, 661 billionaires spent $1.2 billion on the presidential election―nearly double what they spent in 2016.[1]
Twelve years after the disastrous 5-4 Citizens United Supreme Court decision opened the floodgates to massive amounts of money in politics, the influence and power that the ultra-wealthy play in our elections continues to grow. We’re fighting back, holding our elected officials accountable and ensuring the voices of working people continue to be heard at the ballot box and in the halls of Congress.
Donate $5 today to our Candidate Accountability and Voter Mobilization Fund to fight back against the power and influence of the Billionaire Class.
Check out Frank’s email below, which highlights our new report on billionaires’ outsized influence in our elections and on policies that come out of Congress.
Thank you for fighting for a future that includes all of us, not just the wealthy few.
Maura Quint
Campaign Director
Americans for Tax Fairness Action Fund
[1] “Billionaires are spending 39 times more on federal elections since Citizens United Supreme Court Decision in 2010,” Americans for Tax Fairness, Jan. 21, 2022
-- Frank's email --
John,
Twelve years ago today, the U.S. Supreme Court opened the floodgates to money in politics when they handed down their disastrous 5-4 Citizens United decision allowing for unlimited amounts of campaign cash to be spent by special interest groups. Today, at a time of skyrocketing wealth gains among America’s 700+ billionaires, the ultra-wealthy are turning their money into political power.
In the 2020 presidential election, 661 billionaires pumped $1.2 billion into elections―not including the additional $1.4 billion spent by Michael Bloomberg and Tom Steyer on their presidential campaigns. That represented about $1 out of every $10 spent in the election, according to a new Americans for Tax Fairness report.[1]
On this anniversary of the disastrous Citizens United decision, the escalating campaign donations of billionaires offer the clearest argument possible for why we have to get Big Money out of politics. Weak taxation of the wealthy combined with anemic regulation of campaign fundraising have handed America’s billionaires outsized political influence to go along with their huge economic clout.
While we work with our champions in Congress to advance critical campaign finance laws that get Big Money out of politics, we’re working to hold members of Congress accountable to the voters and ensure the voices of the people outweigh the power and influence of the wealthy few.
On the 12-year anniversary of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, can you donate $12 to our Candidate Accountability and Voter Mobilization Fund to ensure the voices of working people continue to be heard at the ballot box and in the halls of Congress?
Just look at this chart from ATF’s new report that reflects the outsized role billionaire money plays in our elections:
 Between March and October of 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, billionaires’ collective wealth jumped by nearly one-third, or over $900 billion. They used this increased wealth to nearly double their campaign contributions compared to the previous presidential election.
This money buys access to politicians and influence over tax and other policies that can save tycoons billions of dollars in taxes each year.
Donate today to our Candidate Accountability and Voter Mobilization Fund to fight back against the outsized influence of Big Money in politics and make sure our voices continue to be heard in the halls of Congress.
If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your secure donation will go through immediately:
Together, we’re fighting for a democracy where each of our voices and our votes carry equal weight―and where our elections are not dominated by the wealthy few.
Thank you,
Frank Clemente
Executive Director
Americans for Tax Fairness Action Fund
[1] “Billionaires are spending 39 times more on federal elections since Citizens United Supreme Court Decision in 2010,” Americans for Tax Fairness, Jan. 21, 2022
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