The City Council voted this week to put Oakland on the forefront of a national grassroots movement opposing the unchecked influence of major corporations in elections.
The Council voted unanimously to approve a resolution by City Attorney Barbara Parker and Council President Larry Reid opposing the US Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, which rolled back restrictions on corporate spending in the electoral process. The Court's 2010 decision ruled that corporate spending is constitutionally protected speech, and that corporations have the right to spend unlimited sums of money in elections.
City Attorney Parker today thanked the City Council for sending a clear message to federal legislators, who have the power to pass a historic Constitutional amendment to reverse the Supreme Court ruling.
"The Citizens United decision threatens the entire democratic process by allowing major corporations to drown out all other voices," Parker said today. "It's important for cities like Oakland that cherish democracy to take a stand against the rigging of elections by the wealthiest corporate interests. The City Attorney's Office is now exploring other measures that we can implement locally to ensure fairness, transparency and honest competition in our local elections."
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Read a copy of the resolution & staff report
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