CITIZEN ACTION OF NEW YORK
For Immediate Release: January 21, 2010
Supreme Court Opens Floodgates to Unlimited Corporate Campaign Spending
Public Financing of Elections Reform Needed Now!
Albany, NY – The Supreme Court’s broad and unprecedented decision today to unleash the millions of dollars in corporate coffers to influence elections and our political process highlights the urgent need for campaign finance reform in Albany.
Karen Scharff, Executive Director of Citizen Action of New York, said, “In a system where wealthy donors and corporate interests already have a strangle-hold on legislation that is in the public’s interest, today’s Supreme Court decision has dealt a severe blow to our democracy.” Scharff added, “Now, the Congress and the state legislature must pass public financing of elections if voters, instead of big corporations and lobbyists, are to ever again control what happens in our State and our nation.”
With the passage of the ethics bill by the Legislature yesterday, the Governor’s proposal for public financing of elections, the Assembly’s public financing bill and the calls to clean up Albany from citizens around the State, we have reached a critical moment when we can create an electoral process that New Yorkers can be proud of.
The 5-4 Supreme Court decision in Citizens United has reversed a long-standing ban on corporations’ ability to use unlimited funds to advocate for political outcomes in their interests. By allowing campaign ads that can mirror the message of a candidate or attack an opponent, the Court has increased the already-enormous power of wealthy special interests in our democracy. Everyone will pay the price in legislation that benefits corporations rather than the public.
Citizen Action of New York will be joining organizations and citizens across New York in strongly advocating for public financing of elections to counter this radical change in campaign financing. A public financing option for New York state candidates would protect the democratic process in New York; Congressional action is needed to protect the Congress from the exponential increase of corporate money in the political process that will undermine the voices of ordinary citizens and contribute further to the political alienation and cynicism of average voters.
“From deregulation of the financial industry, to the loss of the public option in health care reform, wealthy corporate interests are already using their influence to increase their profits at the expense of consumers and our country’s economic health,” said Karen Scharff. “Today’s court decision will place our government in the hands of the wealthiest corporations unless a new system is put into place to enable candidates to run for office with grassroots voter support and public funds.”
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