American Promise issued the following statement in response to the First Circuit Court of Appeal’s decision to strike down Maine’s law banning foreign entities from influencing election outcomes:

“Last Friday’s decision by the First Circuit strikes a blow against the fundamental principle that American voters — not foreign interests — should control their elections. This ruling sets aside the will of 86% of Maine voters who overwhelmingly supported Ballot Question 2, a law aimed at preventing foreign influence in Maine elections and affirming support for a constitutional amendment that would enable all states to pass reasonable political spending limits. 

“Support for Question 2 was overwhelmingly bipartisan and historic, achieving the highest percentage approval for a ballot measure in Maine’s history. American Promise played a leading role in the passage of Question 2.

“Using First Amendment interpretation as the vehicle, the courts have effectively granted foreign entities, some of whom do not share America’s interests, the ability to influence American election outcomes. American Promise’s report, The Problem of Foreign Money in Politics, documented how foreign government-owned entities spent $67 million in 2021 to defeat a single ballot measure in Maine and accounted for 83% of referendum spending in the state in 2023. The First Circuit’s decision puts power in the hands of foreign actors with narrow agendas to control local elections without accountability or transparency, which directly undermines self-government and national security.

“For nearly two centuries, Americans were empowered to set limits on such political spending. However, decades of judicial overreach, stemming from cases like Buckley v. Valeo (1976) and Citizens United v. FEC (2010), have made it virtually impossible for states to decide how to best protect their elections from foreign interference. Friday’s ruling underscores the urgent need for a constitutional amendment, like the For Our Freedom Amendment, to restore the ability of states and Congress to decide whether and how to address the influence of money in politics, including banning foreign-influenced spending. Elected leaders should uphold the will of the voters and take the permanent step of empowering all states to protect elections by supporting the For Our Freedom Amendment.

“To date, 23 states have called on Congress to move forward with a constitutional amendment to address the issue of money in politics, with Utah as the most recent addition in March 2025. Furthermore, 77 percent of Americans across the political spectrum support this solution. 

“We stand with the people of Maine who continue to voice their support for an amendment to the Constitution and who have tasked the Maine Ethics Commission with reporting annually on support within Maine’s congressional delegation for such an amendment. American Promise’s 2025 submission to the Commission is here.”