Press Releases

End Citizens United Praises Chairwoman Velazquez for Refusing Corporate PAC Money

Mar 25, 2019

Velazquez is the third Chairperson of a Congressional Committee to forgo corporate PAC money

With Velazquez’s announcement, 54 Democratic members of the 116th Congress are rejecting corporate PAC money

End Citizens United (ECU) today praised Chairwoman Nydia Velazquez’s (D-NY) decision to turn down corporate PAC money. Velazquez is the third Chairperson of a Congressional Committee to forgo money from corporate PACs — the first non-freshman House Member from New York — and joins an unprecedented number of representatives in the 116th Congress refusing the money.

“New Yorkers know that special interests have too much sway over the issues that affect their lives,” said ECU President Tiffany Muller. “Rep. Velazquez is listening to her constituents’ concerns and taking a bold step to address the problem. Today’s decision to refuse corporate PAC money is a testament to her dedication and commitment to the families in her district. We applaud Rep. Velazquez for her leadership and her unwavering commitment to reform.”

“The unprecedented influx of corporate money in our political system is breeding more distrust among voters than I can ever recall since entering public life. I worry this corrosion of voters’ trust in government threatens our democracy’s health, weakens our civic institutions, and makes policy-making worse,” said Congresswoman Velazquez. “For these reasons, I have made the decision to stop taking corporate PAC money. It’s the right decision for me, my community, and most of all, my constituents. I look forward to working with End Citizens United to advance reform and return our government back to the people.”

ECU is dedicated to getting big money out of politics, electing reform champions, and fixing the rigged system in Washington so it works for all Americans. In the 2018 election cycle, ECU spearheaded the movement among candidates to forgo corporate PAC money, leading to a historic incoming class of representatives who reject the money. ECU has four million members nationwide, including 3,800 in NY-07, and is entirely grassroots-funded with an average donation of just $14.

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