The Progressive

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A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:

Mike Russo: Office: (202)461-3823, Cell: (617)835-1542, Email: mrusso@pirg.org

Statement of Mike Russo, Federal Program Director with U.S. PIRG, on Today's Senate Vote on the Constitutional Amendment to Overturn Citizens United:

"Today's vote was an incredible milestone in the fight to reclaim our democracy. The Citizens United decision unleashed a tide of big money from mega-donors and super PACs into our elections, which has threatened to drown out the voices of ordinary Americans. In the 2012 elections, just 32 super PAC donors spent as much as all 3.7 million small donors to Mitt Romney and President Obama combined, and year after year, we've seen campaign spending records shattered.

WASHINGTON

"Today's vote was an incredible milestone in the fight to reclaim our democracy. The Citizens United decision unleashed a tide of big money from mega-donors and super PACs into our elections, which has threatened to drown out the voices of ordinary Americans. In the 2012 elections, just 32 super PAC donors spent as much as all 3.7 million small donors to Mitt Romney and President Obama combined, and year after year, we've seen campaign spending records shattered.

"But far from accepting this as a new status quo, Americans have been fighting back. In just a few short years, 16 states and more than 550 cities and localities across the country have enacted resolutions calling on Congress to pass an amendment to overturn Citizens United. Today, a majority of the U.S. Senate answered that call.

"Amending the Constitution was never meant to be easy, but we know that the public overwhelmingly supports getting big money out of politics. Today's vote is just the beginning, and marks a big step forward in the movement to reclaim our democracy.

"We also know there are things that should be done right now to amplify the voices of small donors, which would make sure out-of-district mega-donors aren't the only way to finance campaigns. Congress and state and local governments should establish small donor empowerment programs right away."

U.S. PIRG, the federation of state Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs), stands up to powerful special interests on behalf of the American public, working to win concrete results for our health and our well-being. With a strong network of researchers, advocates, organizers and students in state capitols across the country, we take on the special interests on issues, such as product safety,political corruption, prescription drugs and voting rights,where these interests stand in the way of reform and progress.