May, 24 2010, 01:29pm EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Drew Courtney or Josh Glasstetter,Phone: 202-467-4999,Email:,media@pfaw.org
Senator Cornyn Exposes Right's Hypocrisy on Judicial Philosophy
Senator John Cornyn today accused Solicitor General Elena Kagan of
displaying "disregard for the First Amendment and freedom of
speech" by defending laws that limited corporate influence on elections.
People For the American Way President Michael B. Keegan issued the
following statement:
WASHINGTON
Senator John Cornyn today accused Solicitor General Elena Kagan of
displaying "disregard for the First Amendment and freedom of
speech" by defending laws that limited corporate influence on elections.
People For the American Way President Michael B. Keegan issued the
following statement:
"Senator Cornyn has done a superb job of exposing the
Right's hypocrisy on judicial philosophy. In Citizens United v. FEC, the case Senator Cornyn refers to,
the right wing bloc of the Supreme Court threw out more than a century of
settled law to give corporations the same rights as citizens to campaign for or
against candidates. For a Senator who has made a career of railing
against 'judicial activism' to criticize the Solicitor General for
defending legislation enacted by Congress is almost laughable. Senator
Cornyn must have forgotten his years-long quest for judges who are
'strict constructionists' and who follow the 'original
intent' of the Constitution. Citizens
United flies in the face of all those buzzwords.
"The First Amendment is unambiguous in its goal of protecting a
marketplace of ideas where all opinions, even unpopular ones, can be voiced
freely. But corporations don't have the same free speech rights as
individuals. The First Amendment does not demand that we sacrifice our
democratic system to the whims of corporations like Exxon and Goldman Sachs.
Our founders didn't intend to offer our government to the highest
bidder. This decision doesn't defend the First Amendment--it
perverts it.
"The confirmation hearings for General Kagan will be an excellent
opportunity for Senator Cornyn to attempt to defend his support for Citizens United. I look forward to
watching him try."
People For the American Way works to build a democratic society that implements the ideals of freedom, equality, opportunity and justice for all. We encourage civic participation, defend fundamental rights, and fight to dismantle systemic barriers to equitable opportunity. We fight against right-wing extremism and the injustice it fosters.
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