Calling for an End to "Corporate Personhood"

Press Release

Supreme Court ruling allowed for unlimited corporate spending on campaigns

On the second anniversary of the Supreme Court's Citizen United decision, which allowed unlimited corporate spending on campaigns, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree said corporations shouldn't be granted the same rights as individuals.

"The idea that somehow corporations are people that have the right to spend unlimited amounts of money to buy elections just doesn'tpass the straight face test," Pingree said. "The American people know this is no way to run a democracy and they know we deserve better than the free-for-all of campaign spending that Citizens United created."

Pingree has criticized court decisions granting corporations "personhood" status and sponsored legislation to reverse the rulings.

Pingree is Chair of the House Democratic Caucus Task Force on Fair Governance and a cosponsor of a constitutional amendment reversing the Citizens Uniteddecision. She has also introduced the Fair Elections Now Act, which would create a system of financing of Congressional campaigns that would limit contributions to $100.

Pingree, the former President of Common Cause, said the Supreme Court's decision two years ago today has had a corrosive effect on elections.

"Not only do corporations now get to spend unlimited amounts of money on elections, they don't even have to tell the public or their shareholders how much money they are pouring into campaigns," Pingree said.

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