Big, Outside money is flooding our Alaska elections this season. Alaska’s strong, citizen-initiated campaign finance law was struck down by the courts last fall, and the Legislature failed to act to correct the problem, leaving our elections wide-open to this form of legalized corruption. Recent polls show that 72% of Alaskans want limits on such spending.
The citizens are pushing back. The “Hold Them Accountable” campaign is asking each candidate to sign a pledge to honor the wishes of most Alaskans by supporting an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would overrule the court and restore our authority to set and enforce our own campaign finance laws.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the Citizens United v. FEC case that corporations are persons with constitutional rights, and that campaign finance laws may be unconstitutional as they impede the freedom of speech for such persons, the spending on political campaigns has been ever increasing. The only way to correct this is with a U.S. Constitutional Amendment, initiated by Congress and ratified by 38 states.
Right now there are three bills pending in the U.S. House of Representatives proposing such an amendment. While Alaska Move to Amend, Inc. – affiliated with the national Move to Amend – is supporting HJR 48, spokeswoman Sharman Haley says the group is asking Congressional candidates to support whichever version they prefer. Concerned citizens are encouraged to support the campaign by checking out the http://www.akmovetoamend.org website or AKMoveToAmend Facebook page.
Importantly, voters need to be educated on the topic and ask candidates about their position on the issue of unlimited contributions in political campaigns. Candidates need to hear from voters that this is an issue that concerns them deeply. Here is a list of the candidates, contact them now and voice your concern. Information on all candidates may be found on the state website at: https://www.elections.alaska.gov/Core/candidatelistprim.php.
Beverly Churchill is a member of Alaska Move to Amend, whose mission includes educating Alaskans on constitutional issues regarding personhood and money as a form of free speech.
