This January marks the sixth anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. FEC ruling that opened the door for big businesses to make large-scale campaign donations.
Wisconsin activists and Democratic lawmakers gathered in the state Capitol Thursday morning to voice their opposition to the unprecedented rise in campaign spending in recent years. The event was hosted by the consumer protection group WISPIRG.
Democratic Rep. Lisa Subeck introduced a bill last year that would add a question to the November 2016 ballot, asking Wisconsin voters to support or reject a constitutional amendment that would repeal the Supreme Court ruling.
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“It was referred to the committee on constitution and ethics. Want to know how many times the committee on constitution and ethics has met in this past year? Zero,” Subeck said. “The committee has not met once.”
More than 60 Wisconsin communities have come out in favor of an amendment repealing Citizens United.
Late last year, Gov. Scott Walker signed into law bills that loosened restrictions on campaign spending and dismantled the board that regulated campaign finances and lobbying, replacing it with commissions made up of partisan appointees.
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