Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 2, 2014


Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Donna F. Edwards (MD-4) issued the following statement after the Supreme Court issued its 5 to 4 ruling rejecting longstanding limits on federal campaign contributions to political campaigns and PACs. Congresswoman Edwards spent years working on the issue of campaign finance reform with Public Citizen and as the executive director of the Center for a New Democracy.

“As a long-time advocate for campaign finance reform, today’s ruling by the United States Supreme Court is yet another disturbing step backward in our democratic process.  Four years ago, the Roberts Court overturned decades of legal precedent by expanding 1st Amendment Rights to corporations, essentially giving them the same rights as individuals.  Now today, they have gone even further by overturning a longstanding belief that Congress has the right to cap political spending in the name of preventing corruption.

“The 2012 general election saw a record $6.2 billion dollars raised, with a significant portion of that coming from big donors who represent the 1 percent of the 1 percent.  Unfortunately, this decision will allow the wealthiest donors to have an even greater impact on silencing the voices of the American people.  The Supreme Court has left us no choice but to take legislative action to ensure the protection of the democracy we hold so dear.”

Congresswoman Edwards asks her colleagues to support and cosponsor H.J. Res. 25, a Constitutional Amendment she authored that clarifies the authority of Congress and the States to regulate the expenditure of funds for political activities by corporations.

###