Chicago Alderman Joe Moore Introducing Resolution Targeting Corporate Personhood
A Chicago alderman on Monday was set to officially unveil a new resolution opposing the Supreme Court's 2010 ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.
Ald. Joe Moore (49th) is expected to call for a constitutional amendment to overturn the high court's controversial decision, which held that corporations have a first amendment right to spend unlimited amounts of money on political campaigns, during a City Council Committee on Human Relations hearing Monday. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D Ill.) was also expected to be present at the hearing.
The resolution [PDF] states that the Citizens United ruling as well as its Buckley ruling "have posed a serious and direct threat to our democracy by unleashing a torrent of corporate and personal money in our political process unmatched by any campaign expenditures in United States history."
The resolution goes on quote Justice John Paul Stevens' dissenting Citizens United opinion that corporations "are not themselves members of 'We the People' by whom and for whom our Constitution was established."
As University of Illinois Chicago professor and former alderman Dick Simpson wrote in a recent op ed, the resolution calls on Congress to "make clear that the rights protected by the Constitution are rights of natural persons and do not extend to corporations." Further, Moore is calling for an advisory referendum related to the ruling to be put on the November ballot.
"In Illinois, we have tragically experienced firsthand the corrosive and distorting effect of unregulated and unlimited campaign donations on the body politic," Moore previously said of his resolution. "Unregulated money and political corruption go hand in hand."
Moore is not the first Illinois politician to take aim at Citizens United. Sen. Dick Durbin (D Ill.) lashed out against the Supreme Court's refusal to revisit its decision in the landmark case last month.
"Citizens United has created a field day for American Oligarchs to dump millions of dollars into campaigns," Durbin said in a statement. "Congress must now enact common sense reforms that cannot be overturned by the Supreme Court."
Six states have already taken official stands against the Citizens United ruling and similarly called for constitutional amendment, including California earlier this month.
Last week, legislators in San Francisco introduced a new, non binding proposal that would make opposition to the ruling an official city policy. Other cities including New York and Los Angeles have already adapted similar resolutions.
Sheldon Adelson, the Las Vegas casino magnate, and his family have combined to give million to super PACs in the 2012 election cycle. At first, Adelson pumped money into Winning Our Future, the super PAC supporting Newt Gingrich, but now he is funding groups backing Mitt Romney and congressional Republicans. Adelson is ranked on the Forbes list of the richest Americans at number eight, with billion in net worth.
Sheldon Adelson and his wife, Miriam, gave million to Winning Our Future. His daughters Sivan Ochshorn and Shelley Maye Adelson each chipped in Another daughter and her husband each gave
Adelson and his wife have also given million to Restore Our Future (supporting Romney), million to Congressional Leadership Fund, million to YG Action Fund, million to Freedom PAC (supporting Connie Mack), million to Independence Virginia PAC (supporting George Allen), million to Ending Spending Action Fund, million to Treasure Coast Jobs Coalition, million to Patriot Prosperity PAC (supporting Shmuley Boteach for Congress) and to Conservative Renewal PAC, to Texas Conservatives Fund (both supporting David Dewhurst) and to Hispanic Leadership Fund.
Adelson remained in the number one spot among super PAC donors after counting contributions for August. He has allegedly given in excess of million when contributions to non profit groups like Americans for Prosperity and the Republican Jewish Coalition are included.
His involvement in politics revolves around his support for the state of Israel, in particular the policies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. His business, along with that of other super PAC donors, is also under investigation for violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
Harold Simmons, the octogenarian Dallas businessman, combined with his wife Annette and his company, Contran Corp., to donate to super PACs. Simmons is listed in Forbes magazine as the 33rd richest person in America with a net worth of billion.
Simmons and Contran donated million to American Crossroads, million to Restore Our Future (supporting Mitt Romney), million to Make Us Great Again (supporting Rick Perry), million to Winning Our Future (supporting Newt Gingrich) and to Restoring Prosperity Fund (formerly Americans for Rick Perry). Annette Simmons gave million to Red White And Blue Fund (supporting Rick Santorum).
Simmons has also given million to Texas Conservatives Fund and to Conservative Renewal PAC, both super PACs supporting Senate candidate David Dewhurst. He gave another to Strong Utah PAC, to Conservatives Action Together and to Freedom PAC, which supports Connie Mack for Senate in Florida.
Simmons who explained that he is contributing money to super PACs to stop "that socialist," President Barack Obama remains in second place among super PAC donors.
Texas homebuilder Bob Perry contributed million to super PACs. Perry is one of the new balance running shoes for women on sale most prolific donors in contemporary political history. He was a major backer of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, the outside group that helped torpedo John Kerry's presidential campaign in 2004. Perry's net worth has been estimated at around million.
Perry has given million to Restore Our Future (supporting Romney), million to American Crossroads, million to Congressional Leadership Fund, million to Club for Growth Action, to Independence Virginia (supporting George Allen), to Texas Conservatives Fund (supporting David Dewhurst), to Freedom PAC, to Make Us Great Again (supporting Rick Perry, who is of no relation) and to Maverick PAC.
J. Joseph Ricketts, the founder of TD Ameritrade and head of the family that owns the Chicago Cubs, has given million to super PACs. Ricketts ranked 371 on Forbes' list of richest Americans in 2009, with a net worth of billion.
He has donated million to his own super PAC, Ending Spending Action Fund. Ricketts has also given the Campaign for Primary Accountability, a super PAC supporting challengers to incumbent Democrats and Republicans in contested congressional primary elections, and to Restore Our Future (supporting Romney).
Ricketts became the focus of controversy in May 2012 after the New York Times revealed that he was considering a proposal to fund, through a super PAC, women new balance 574 alpine pink advertisements attacking President Barack Obama with his relationship with his former pastor, the controversial Jeremiah Wright. After the publicity Ricketts and the consultants involved all stated that they were not going forward with the plan.
Fred Eychaner, the Chicago based media mogul who made his fortune with Newsweb Corp., has given million to super PACs.
He is a longtime funder of outside groups backing Democrats, having contributed million to so called 527 groups in the effort to defeat President George W. Bush in 2004. Eychaner is also a noted LGBT activist and has funded efforts to promote equality.
Eychaner gave to Majority PAC, to House Majority PAC, million to Priorities USA Action (supporting Obama), to Women Vote!, to America Votes Action Fund and to L PAC.
The Service Employees International Union, the nation's fastest growing labor union representing close to 2 million people, contributed to super PACs. SEIU is one of the most politically active unions in the country.
SEIU has given million to Florida Freedom PAC, million to Priorities USA Action (supporting Obama), to House Majority PAC, to Service Employees International Union PEA Federal, to Rethink PAC (opposing Scott Brown), to Working For Us PAC, to Majority PAC, to American Bridge 21st Century, to Sierra Club Action, to Vote Your Values, to Workers' Voice, to Connecticut's Future PAC and to Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund.