Sunday will mark eight years since the U.S. Supreme Court announced its decision in Citizens United, in which it declared that “ingratiation and access” are “not corruption.” The court struck down a ban on corporate political spending, laying a path that would eventually lead to billions of dollars in campaign ads, principally paid for by wealthy individuals and special interests, run through super PACs and dark money organizations.
There is much that can and has been said about the negative consequences of that decision. Even the five-justice majority agreed, “If elected officials succumb to improper influences…if they surrender their best judgment…if they put expediency before principle, then surely there is cause for concern.” Americans deserve representation that gives fair weight to their interests, regardless of whether they can afford to hire lobbyists, give money to campaigns, or buy political ads.
The above excerpt was originally published in The Hill.
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