Sen. Warner urged to address Citizens United

Activists present box of petitions to Sen. Warner.

A coalition of organizations concerned about the corrosive effects of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling and related decisions on money in politics presented petitions to Sen. Mark Warner’s office in Vienna Sept. 4 urging him to support a congressional resolution to set limits on campaign spending.

A group of 26 Democratic activists presented a flash drive with about 33,000 signatures urging Warner to support Senate Joint Resolution 19 (the Udall Amendment) when it comes up a vote on the Senate floor Sept. 8. S.J. Res. 19 would give Congress and states the power to regulate the raising and spending of money on political campaigns.

The 2010 Citizens United ruling gave corporations and unions the
green light to spend as much as they want on political ads calling for
the election or defeat of individual candidates. That set a precedent
for subsequent rulings that eliminated limits on campaign spending.

Auguste Humphries, Warner’s legislative aide, told the group that Warner will vote for the Udall Amendment. “We feel that our event was useful, that we were listened to, and we’re glad to be part of a wider effort at other U.S. senators’ offices, not only in Virginia but in other states, too,” says Mary Detweiler.