Rep. Ben Ray Luján
U.S. CONGRESSIONAL News:
U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third District announced July 15 that he has joined in an effort to limit money in politics by introducing an amendment to the United States Constitution.
The constitutional amendment would overturn Supreme Court decisions like Citizens United vs. FEC and McCutcheon vs. FEC in an effort to reduce the growing influence of money in the political system. The constitutional amendment is the companion to the amendment introduced in the Senate by Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., and passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
“Citizens United opened the floodgates for special-interest corporate money from hidden donors that seeks to influence elections,” Luján said. “The McCutcheon decision further enhanced the ability of the wealthy few to unduly influence elections and have an outsized impact that drowns out the voice of the American people. This amendment would take a critical step toward removing corporate influence in our elections and reaffirm the bedrock principles of our democracy by giving voice back to the people.”
According to the Center for Responsive Politics, outside spending in elections tripled between 2008 and 2012, with 93 percent of the more than $600 million spent in 2012 by Super PACs coming from about 3,300 donors, or .0011 percent of the American population.
