Corporate Money in Politics
EXPERTS BELIEVE CORPORATE MONEY IN POLITICS COULD BRING BACK THE COPPER COLLAR
Contact Information
Theresa Keaveny, MCV Executive Director 406-861-1557, tkeaveny@mtvoters.org. Sarah Cobler, MCV Program Director 406.546.2125 sarah@mtvoters.org
Helena, MT - Experts believe the January 21st U.S. Supreme Court ruling "Citizens United vs. Federal Elections Commission," endangers Montana's century-old ban on using corporate contributions to elect candidates to local, legislative and statewide office in Montana.
The decision allows corporations to spend an unlimited amount of money in federal elections on independent communications, and threatens how the decision will affect Montana's ban on corporate spending in state elections.
Montana Conservation Voters is hosting an informational panel on this decision on Friday, March 12 at 2 p.m. (1:30 p.m. registration) at the Shrine Temple, 15 Jackson Street, Helena.
"Montanans should be concerned. Citizens United may mean that out-of-state, polluting corporations can buy Montana legislative seats," said Theresa Keaveny, Executive Director of Montana Conservation Voters. "Montanans shirked the grip of the copper collar once before, and we should fight against its clench today."
The panel includes Montana's Solicitor Anthony Johnstone, Denise Roth Barber of the National Institute on Money in State Politics, State Representative Kendall Van Dyk (D- Billings), and Jeanne-Marie Souvigney, a Montana Conservation Voters consultant. They will discuss what Citizens United means for the state's clean air, cold water and unparalleled wildlife in the 2010 elections.
"Imagine sitting down for the evening news, and an ad pops up from Exxon, telling you who to vote for in the upcoming election," said Denise Roth Barber, Research Director for the Institute on Money in State Politics. "As a result of Citizens United, corporations can try to buy the public's vote. It is now legal for corporations to make electioneering communications in federal races. This could trickle down to state politics, changing the face of our citizen legislature."
The panel is open to the public, and begins Montana Conservation Voters' 2010 Annual Meeting and Election Year kick off, which includes a key-note address from Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau at 6 p.m.
For 11 years Montana Conservation Voters has been the non-partisan political voice of the state's conservation community, working to protect our clean air, water and open spaces for future generations. For more information, see: www.mtvoters.org.
