Nevadans Hit with $66 Million in Unchecked Political Spending. Heller Can Stop it by Rejecting Gorsuch

 

Senator Heller can help put an end to the unlimited and untraceable money flooding Nevada by standing against Pres. Trump’s nominee to the Supreme Court, who believes corporations are people

 

Super PAC, Dark Money groups spent $66 million in the Nevada Senate race alone last cycle as families were barraged with 20,000 ads in Nevada thanks to the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling

 

Nevada families have been pummeled in recent elections by a barrage of campaign ads financed by corporations and billionaires. They are allowed to spend unlimited money on elections and their secretive “dark money” groups don’t have to disclose the source of their funding.  The money buys them access and influence the rest of us don’t have – and it’s getting worse every year.  Senator Dean Heller has the power to help stop the problem.  He can vote to reject Judge Neil Gorsuch for the Supreme Court.

“Citizens United and a handful of similar Supreme Court decisions opened the floodgates to this unchecked spending.  It’s drowning out the voices of everyday Nevadans and perpetuating a rigged system in Washington.  The Court can undo this damage, but not if Judge Gorsuch is appointed,” said End Citizens United Executive Director Tiffany Muller.   “If Neil Gorsuch joins the Court, mega-donors will have even more rights to flood elections with unlimited and secret money.  Senator Heller should oppose this nomination on behalf of Nevadans who feel shut out by Washington.”

 

 

In 2006, well before Citizens United, there was no super PAC spending in the Nevada Senate race, and only a few thousand dollars in undisclosed spending.  By the 2016 Nevada Senate race, these groups spent a whopping $66 million.  Spending has increased at an exponential rate.  From 2010 to 2016, the amount of super PAC and dark money spending in Senate races in Nevada increased by 500%.  Nationwide, 45% of all campaign spending – $3 billion – was directly attributable to Supreme Court rulings.During the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on his nomination this week, Gorsuch did nothing to alleviate fears that he’ll side with the extreme wing of the Court. If confirmed, he could create a majority that will uphold rulings giving corporations the same rights as real people to spend unlimited and undisclosed money in politics.  His appointment would mean that those who write the biggest check, have the biggest say and that there’s less transparency and more money polluting our democracy.  A Supreme Court with Neil Gorsuch would double down on the rigged system with more dysfunction and corruption in Washington.

“Senator Heller has a responsibility to his constituents to oppose Neil Gorsuch.  He can help make Washington more responsive to We the People and better equipped to meet the challenges facing our nation,” Muller added. “He should prioritize the needs of hard-working Nevadans over Big Money donors and corporates special interests.”

Earlier this week End Citizens United announced it is hosting a rally in Las Vegas on April 1st at the Federal Courthouse to demand that Heller reject Gorsuch.

End Citizens United was established in March 2015 to counter the disastrous effects of the Citizens United decision and reform our campaign finance system.