Group Wants 28th Amendment To Constitution To Undo Citizen’s United Supreme Court Ruling
Two groups, the American Promise Advisory Council and Stand With Montanans are urging Montanan's new congressional candidates to be chosen this week to support a 28th amendment to the constitution that would effectively undo the Citizens United Supreme Court decision.
Spokesman and Treasurer for Stand With Montanans, C.B. Pearson, said his group is asking the congressional nominees to stand by I-166, passed in all 56 counties in 2012, and was upheld by the Montana Supreme Court.
"I-166 essentially says that corporations are not people and money is not speech," Pearson said. "That encouraged our congressional delegation to work for the passage of the 28th amendment because Montana has a rich history of fighting big money and corporations in politics. When corporations and big money control the political system, we don't get government that supports all the people."
Pearson said the effort to pass the 28th amendment is lacking what he calls some 'Montana muscle'.
"We need some Montana muscle to really organize in the U.S. House of Representatives, and it's going to take some Montana muscle to get this amendment passed," he said. "Colorado and Montana were the first states to pass the resolutions in support of the 28th amendment, and now over 18 states have dome the same. Recently, former Wyoming Senator Allan Simpson came on board in support. It's part of a political uprising to take back control of our government for the people."
“We need a Constitutional amendment because the Supreme Court, in cases such as Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, has made a series of dangerously wrong decisions that make effective reform virtually impossible without a Constitutional amendment," Simpson said.
The Democrats chose singer-songwriter Rob Quist on Sunday, while the Republicans will choose their candidate on Monday, also in Helena.