The proposed constitutional amendment will enshrine voters’ right to know the source of all election donations and spending in Arizona
Over $10 million in dark money was spent in the last state-level elections in 2014
Phoenix, AZ – Today, End Citizens United (ECU) endorsed the proposed Outlaw Dirty Money amendment to the Arizona Constitution. The amendment would increase transparency and help prevent corruption by requiring public disclosure of all contributors who give $2,500 or more to influence elections. The amendment would also stop the pervasive practice of laundering political contributions through intermediaries to hide the source of the money. The initiative is currently in the signature collection stage and would appear on the November 2018 ballot.
ECU was established in March 2015 to counter the harmful effects of Citizens United and reform our campaign finance system. ECU has over three million members, including 92,000 in Arizona. Its affiliated project, Fight for Reform, focuses on bringing transparency and accountability to state and local elections around the country. Fight For Reform will connect grassroots activists and donors with Outlaw Dirty Money.
“Right now, the system is rigged to favor mega-donors and corporations allowing them to spend millions in secret “dark” money to advance their personal agendas. It drowns out the voices of Arizona families and leaves them in the dark about who is trying to influence their vote,” said Tiffany Muller, president of End Citizens United. “Outlaw Dirty Money will help end the corrosive influence of secret money and promote transparency in Arizona’s elections.”
“We welcome the End Citizens United endorsement of the Arizona Outlaw Dirty Money Amendment. This Amendment will confirm that Arizona voters have the Right to Know the original source of all contributions seeking to influence their votes so they can take back control of elections from the dirty-money forces. But, to get on the November ballot we need many more good people do their part and sign the petition and get others to sign as well. The support of End Citizens United elevates and energizes our signature collection efforts. We look forward to working work together to end the undisclosed money which has been flooding into Arizona election campaigns and set the standard for other states to follow,” said Terry Goddard, co-chair of Outlaw Dirty Money.
The full language of the amendment can be found here.
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