How strong is the grassroots movement to end Citizens United?
End Citizens United PAC launched just 3 months ago — a brand new organization funded by grassroots donors. The outpouring of support in that time has been stunning:
— 243,839 people have signed on as citizen Co-Sponsors for the Constitutional Amendment to overturn Citizens United.
— 38,562 Founding Members have chipped in much needed support for our grassroots cause.
— $1,076,516 raised from 70,699 donations; an average amount of just $15.23.
How is End Citizens United going to make change happen?
End Citizens United is a Political Action Committee dedicated to overturning Citizens United.
We’re going to make campaign finance reform the issue in next year’s elections. To do that, we’re building the staff and infrastructure we’ll need to shine an enormous light on the dark money that is corrupting our electoral system.
We’ll be endorsing candidates for office, financially supporting campaigns fighting for reform, and advocating for key legislation both locally and nationally (read more about that here).
Why is 2015 the year for change to start?
The public backlash against the Citizens United ruling has continued to grow over the years — despite efforts by some Republicans to glorify the case as a free-speech triumph (because they of course argue that corporations are people).
But the 2016 Election could be the watershed moment that finally leads to reform. Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders — the two front runners for the Democratic nomination for President — have both drawn a hard line in the sand when it comes to Citizens United:
“The Supreme Court made a grave error with Citizens United. I will do everything I can to appoint Supreme Court Justices who protect the right to vote and do not protect the right of billionaires to buy elections.”
~ Hillary Clinton
“And let me say this: if elected president I will have a litmus test in terms of my nominee to be a Supreme Court Justice. And that nominee will say, we are going to overturn this disastrous decision onCitizens United because that decision is undermining American democracy.”
~ Bernie Sanders
There might never be a better opportunity than now to have a national public debate on curbing the influence of money in our elections.
Can this movement really take on the Koch Brothers millions?
Yes! But it certainly won’t be easy.
It’ll take a powerful grassroots movement to reform our campaign finance system. And while we’re off to a great start, we still have a long way to go.
We want to show the press, the public, the politicians, and the Kochs themselves that our movement is real, and we’re demanding real change. We hope you’re with us.