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Two of the three bills that are part of the Clean Campaigns Act passed unanimously on Monday, January 13th, 2020!
The first bill passed prohibits "foreign-influenced corporations from making independent expenditures or contributing to campaigns and independent expenditure committees." Out of the 20 largest corporations that donated to PACs in 2019 for Seattle electiosn, at least 7 could have met the definition of a foreign influence corporation.
The second bill that passed adds transparency to political advertising by requiring "any paid advertisement regarding a political matter of local importance" to follow stricter reporting guidelines and to retain and provide records about these advertisements. These include ads ran outside the regular election cycle, requiring disclosure year-round.
Check out the New York Times Op-ed by FEC Chair Ellen Weintraub - Seattle Takes On Citizens United - A new law knocks “foreign-influenced” corporations out of city politics by working with the decision, not fighting it.
Fix Democracy First would like to send out a HUGE thank your to Seattle City Councilmember M. Lorena González for her leadership on this legislation and Free Speech for People for their onging support and legal expertise. We couldn't have made it happen without them!
Great disparity in the wealth of citizens has been a problem for the conduct of democracy since ancient Athens. At the outset of the American experiment in democracy only wealthy males over 21 could vote.
Written by Hendrick Smith, this book describes the consolidation of wealth in the United States, and the dismantling of the middle class.
Written by Lawrence Lessig, this book charts the way in which the fundamental institutions of our democracy, including our media, respond to narrow interests rather than to the needs and wishes of the nation’s citizenry
