Press Contacts
Adam Sarvana (Grijalva) – (202) 225-2435
Jennifer Porter Gore (Ellison) – (202) 225-4755
Washington, D.C. — Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN), Co-Chairs of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, released the following statement today after the Supreme Court voted 5-4 to overturn Montana’s hundred-year-old campaign finance law in American Tradition Partnership v. Bullock:
“Today the Supreme Court went against the will of 75 percent of the American people to overturn an effective 100-year-old state precedent that had protected Montana elections from corporate money in politics. This ruling compounds the damage to our democracy already done by the Citizens United v. FEC decision, which has allowed millions of untraceable dollars to overwhelm our federal, state, and local elections.
“The precedent set by that decision and reaffirmed today allows outside groups to trump popular state and federal laws that keep elections in the hands of the people. Montana’s campaign finance law kept campaigning costs low for candidates and ensured that voters had the most powerful voice in politics. The average Senate race in Montana costs only $17,000.
“We’ve seen this same story all over the country, and we know what happens next. Wealthy donors, corporations and special interests will now have unchecked influence over Montana’s political process. Citizens United is rapidly eroding the foundation of our democracy. The decision announced today is a squandered opportunity to repair that damage.
“Public opinion continues to favor overturning Citizens United. What happens next in Montana will provide a powerful example of how political conversation changes when corporations are allowed to sway campaigns. The Congressional Progressive Caucus will continue to fight for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United and put democracy back in the hands of the American people.”
