Rally Outside City Hall Calls for Constitutional Amendment

Los Angeles City, State, and Federal Lawmakers Join Together Against Citizens United

CALPIRG

Los Angeles, CA- Angelinos gathered outside City Hall today in support of Proposition C, a ballot measure that would instruct Congress to overturn the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision.

This May voters will see this question on the ballot: “Shall the Voters adopt a resolution that there should be limits on political campaign spending and that corporations should not have the constitutional rights of human beings and instruct Los Angeles elected officials and area legislative representatives to promote that policy through amendments to the United States Constitution?”

“Corporations are not people, and the size of your bank account should not determine the strength of your voice,” said Austin Price, Field Organizer with CALPIRG. “Proposition C will send a loud and clear message to Congress that they must overturn Citizens United and bring our democracy back to the people.”    

The measure’s author, LA City Councilmember Richard Alarcon said, “In state after state, and city after city, voters are decisively supporting a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United.  It’s time for Los Angeles voters to use the ballot box to make it clear that Angelinos believe that corporations do not deserve the constitutional rights that people are afforded.”

State Assemblymember Mike Gatto, who is working in Sacramento to overturn the Supreme Court’s decision added, “Voters are fed up with the notion that money is speech and that big money can drown out the speech of average citizens.” 

Voters in the states of Colorado and Montana and over a dozen cities including San Francisco, Chicago, and Richmond, passed similar measures with greater than 70% support.  In total more than 350 communities are on record calling to overturn the court’s decision. 

Polling indicates 9 in 10 Americans think corporations have too much influence in our elections and 8 in 10 support overturning Citizens United, the decision that prohibits limits on contributions from corporations and wealthy individuals.

Other supporters of Proposition C include both candidates for Mayor, Eric Garcetti and Wendy Greuel, as well as Common Cause, the California Clean Money Campaign, the Los Angeles Federation of Labor, the Money Out Voters In Coalition, Public Citizen, as well as others.

CALPIRG, the California Public Interest Research Group, is a statewide non-profit, non-partisan public interest advocacy organization.

Paid for by the Committee to Pass Prop C, Sponsored by the California Public Interest Research Group, 3435 Wilshire Blvd #385 Los Angeles, CA 90010. Additional information is available at ethics.lacity.org.