Sf Board Of Supervisors Put Corporate Personhood Measure On Nov Ballot

MEDIA ADVISORY

Media Contact:

July 24, 2012

Derek Cressman (916) 600 – 7110

SF Board of Supervisors Put Corporate Personhood Measure on Nov Ballot

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted today to place a measure on this November’s ballot that will give voters the chance to demand a federal constitutional amendment that would authorize limits on political campaign contributions and spending and establish that corporations do not have the same constitutional rights that people do. The vote was unanimous among the 10 supervisors present.

The measure is part of Common Cause’s Amend 2012 campaign [www.amend2012.org] launched this January with an on-line video by the group’s Chairman and U.C. Berkeley professor Robert Reich. The campaign’s goal is to support federal, state and municipal efforts to use voter instructions ballot measures to call on Congress to reverse the Citizens United v. FEC ruling that struck down bans on corporate and labor union spending in elections.

“We applaud Supervisor Avalos who brought this measure to the board and are pleased that the Supervisors are taking steps to restore a government of, by, and for the people,” said Common Cause organizer Helen Greico “The Supreme Court got it wrong when it said that unlimited spending is a form of free speech and this is the path toward setting that right.” .

“Citizens United opened the floodgates of special interest money into our political system making it near impossible for voters to know who is funding the candidates and the issues on their ballot. I co-authored this measure because I believe that voters should have a chance to tell Congress to reverse Citizens United. Today’s vote by the San Francisco board of Supervisors put this measure on the ballot. We are excited that San Franciscans are joining the ranks elected officials, city governments, states and, people all across the country that have also called on Congress to reverse Citizens United,” said San Francisco Supervisor John Avalos.

“It’s encouraging to see that the Board of Supervisors not only understands the real threat to democracy posed by unlimited corporate political spending ruling but that they are going to give San Francisco voters the opportunity to have their voice heard on this critical issue,” said Derek Cressman, who directs Common Cause’s Amend 2012 campaign. “The movement to demand this amendment is building every day and will one day it be impossible to stop.” “

The city council of Richmond has already placed a similar measure on its November ballot and the California Legislature recently passed Assembly Joint Resolution 22 requesting that Congress call for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United.

California Common Cause is a non-partisan, non-profit that strives to strengthen our democracy by empowering our members, supporters and the general public to take action on critical policy issues.