New Jersey Goes on Record Against Citizens United Ruling; Against Big, Secret Money in Our Elections
Statement by Peter Skopec, NJPIRG Program Associate
NJPIRG
TRENTON – New Jersey PIRG believes that in our democracy, the size of one’s wallet should not determine the volume of one’s voice. In 2010, however, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Citizens United v. FEC that the more money you have to spend – as a wealthy individual or as a corporation –, the more influence you should have in our elections. As a member of the “New Jersey for the Overturn of Citizens United Coalition”, NJPIRG strongly opposes this undemocratic notion.
Polls show that voters across the political spectrum – Republicans, Democrats and independents alike – are upset with the effects of the Citizens United ruling.[1] 70 % of Americans believe that increased Super PAC spending will lead to more corruption, according to a recent NYU study.[2] And with political attack ads paid for by unaccountable, secretive outside groups flooding the airwaves this election season, we need no reminder that big, secret money is corroding our democracy.
The campaign finance system created by the Citizens United ruling lets wealthy donors and corporations spend as much as they want, secretly and unaccountably, to influence our elections. Through Super PACs and shadowy “social welfare organizations,” big, secret money threatens to drown out the voices of average voters once and for all.
By adopting a resolution in opposition to Citizens United, the New Jersey Assembly has sent a powerful message to Congress that things have to change. Today, our state took an important step towards fixing America’s broken campaign finance system. New Jersey joins eight other states already on record against Citizens United and big, secret money in our elections.
[2] http://www.brennancenter.org/content/resource/poll_super_pacs_leave_americans_less_likely_to_vote/
