When the Court ruled to allow for corporations to make political expenditures from their general treasuries under the First Amendment's free speech rights in January 2010, several organizers and attorneys from those organizations behind the brief launched Move to Amend as a national campaign to overturn the Citizens United ruling, arguing that the Court’s decision disrupts the democratic process by granting disproportionate influence to the wealthy with the intent of promoting corporate power at the expense of ordinary citizens.[5][6][7][8]
Resolutions and ballot campaigns
Move to Amend's strategy has included grassroots organizing to lobby elected officials and candidates to pass local resolutions and ordinances through municipalities, which call on state and federal representatives to support a 28th Amendment and may include holding a "Democracy Day" public hearing. As of November 2023, over 840 local governments and 22 states have passed resolutions and ordinances supporting a constitutional amendment to address the Citizens United ruling."[9][10] Over 300 resolutions were passed by voters via ballot initiatives, including statewide initiatives in Colorado, Montana, California and Washington.[11][12][13]
Local affiliates of Move to Amend have helped pass many such resolutions supporting the language of the We the People Amendment, including the Los Angeles City Council which voted unanimously to end constitutional rights for corporations in 2011.[14] In Ohio, local ordinances supporting the amendment and creating a "Democracy Day" public hearing to examine the local impact of political influence by corporations have been passed by municipal governments and voters via ballot initiatives, including Cleveland and Toledo.[15][16][17] In Wisconsin, a partner of Move to Amend - Wisconsin United to Amend WIUTA, is building the movement for this amendment. As of 2023, 170 municipalities have passed resolutions, comprising 61% (3.5 million) of Wisconsin residents. WIUTA is also bringing the faith communities into the movement. As of 2023, 10 faith congregations have also passed resolutions calling for the amendment. The Outreach Director, George Penn, can be reached through their site at WIUTA.org.[18][19]
Leadership
The group has included organizers and attorneys from several national organizations among its leadership, including:
Greg Coleridge, Alfonso Saldana, Jennie Spanos, Katie Krasinski and Cole Bennett, Move to Amend Co-Directors
Kaitlin Sopoci-Belknap, Move to Amend’s former national director and director of Democracy Unlimited of Humboldt County[20][21]
^Riki Ott (Autumn 2012). "Citizens united against Citizens United: A movement is building to amend the Constitution". Earth Island Journal Vol 27. Iss. 3. pp. 40,42.
^Matthew Rothschild (April 2010). "Corporations Aren't Persons: Amend the Constitution". The Progressive Vol 74. Iss 4.: pp. 16,18-20.
^Ahmad, Meher; DiNovella, Elizabeth. "We, the People". The Progressive Vol 76. Iss. 4: pp. 8-9.
