Candidates 2020 Pledge To Amend Results

Florida Veterans for Common Sense ran their Election 2020 project to educate candidates and the general public on the issues, including the We The People Amendment (HJR 48). They asked candidates running for state and federal offices where they stand regarding amending the U.S. Constitution to make clear that corporations and other artificial entities do not have Constitutional rights and that money is not speech. If elected, how would they use their office to support the Movement to Amend the Constitution?

The results are in.  Drumroll please ...

U.S. House, District 16

• Margaret Good .. will use the office to support the We the People Amendment
  

"I have outlined a reform agenda to get big money out of politics which you can read at margaretgood.com/reform. 

Overturn Citizens United 

The 2010 Supreme Court Decision Citizens United vs. FEC has allowed our elections to be bombarded with billions of dollars in corporate campaign contributions. Much of this spending comes in the form of “dark money” where wealthy individuals and corporations can spend unlimited money without having to disclose who they are.  Read more ...

 Florida State House, District 71

• Andy Mele .. will use the office to support the We the People Amendment
  

1. Craft resolution of support for HJ 48, and follow through with media when it passes/fails, as appropriate.
2. Increased access to opinion pages.
3. Increased public profile in general.
4. Seek a resolution repudiating Citizens United, + build a coalition of other statehouses. 

Florida State House, District 73

• Drake Buckman .. will use the office to support the We the People Amendment

"I support any legislation and speak out against this ridiculous legal construct that corporations have the rights that human beings enjoy."

Local Dark Money - Hot off the Digital Press

Cathy Antunes, local PAC-money detective, just published a must-read e-book, 

Local Dark Money: Citizens United meets Main Street in Sarasota and Manatee, Florida

Most voters realize that government officials are influenced by campaign donations and lobbying.  But as Antunes writes, 

 

What is new is how PAC money - Political Aciton Committee money - has found its way into local elections.  In Sarasota County, Florida, where I live, it's been a game-changer.

...

While voters may underestimate the importance of local elections, special interest groups don't make that mistake. Here in Southwest Florida those special intersts tend to be developers looking for local government to pick up the tab for their project infrastructure, or rubber stamp development applications. Special interests may include corporate charter school advocates looking to support public schools.  

The well-researched graphics illustrate the interrelated complexities of the PAC donations and expenditure network. Here is an example showing a portion of the funding stream for attack mailers against Manatee County Commissioner Joe McClash back in 2012.

Image from Local Dark Money:
Citizens United meets Main Street in Sarasota and Manatee, Florida

Antunes follows the trail of Dark Money that has poured into specific local elections in the years since the Citizens United Supreme Court decision opened the floodgates in 2010. Click here to view the e-book.