Supreme Court blocks clean elections in Arizona

June 09, 2010

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court again sided with corporations and lobbyists over voters by blocking Arizona's decade old clean elections law. The law provides public funds for candidates who are being outspent by privately funded opponents, or are targeted by independent groups. The court's action will have a direct effect on Arizona's upcoming primary and general elections, leaving those candidates who had opted into the system without the public funds that they were promised and facing challengers who are able to spend money at will. An editorial in today's New York Times notes the impact of the court on campaign finance:

 

It seems likely that the Roberts court will use this case to continue its destruction of the laws and systems set up in recent decades to reduce the influence of big money in politics. By the time it is finished, millionaires and corporations will have regained an enormous voice in American politics, at the expense of candidates who have to raise money the old-fashioned way and, ultimately, at the expense of voters.

 

The court's order is in direct conflict with Arizona citizens, who voted in favor of the clean elections program, after several cash-for-votes corruption scandals in the state legislature corroded voter trust. But voters in Arizona and around the country can take action and respond to the Supreme Court's action, not just temporarily, but for good. What we need is a permanent response to keep the influence of big money out of our political system. We need to call a Constitutional Convention to remove politicians' improper dependence on money and to keep our elections clean and fair.

 

Join our call for a Constitutional Convention.

 

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