With 19 states and over 800 cities and towns calling for a 28th Amendment, the country is halfway to the three-fourths of the States (38 out of 50) needed to ratify a proposed amendment
Carson City, NV – May 25, 2017 — The Nevada State Assembly passed S.J.R. 4 today urging Congress to propose an amendment to the United States Constitution to allow the regulation of independent political expenditures by corporations. Nevada is now the 19th state to call for a 28th Amendment to overturn Citizens United v. FEC and return to common sense limits on election spending.
“Imagine if our government was run by people, not money,” said Jeff Clements, co-founder and President of American Promise, “that’s why we’re leading a cross-partisan fight for a 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to get big money out of politics.”
“Thanks to the citizens of Nevada and the leadership of State Senator Cannizzaro, Nevada is the 19th State to go on record to call for a 28th Amendment to overturn the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling and end the influence of money in our government and elections,” said Jeff Clements.
“The Supreme Court failed us when they ruled corporations were people and money is speech,” said Stacey Shinn, Policy Director for the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada. “Ironically, large corporations have used their new-found spending freedom to silence everyday voters through voter suppression and misinformation campaign fueled by dark money. It’s time to overturn Citizens United to level the playing field and fix our democracy,” said Stacey Shinn.
“This is a major milestone not only in Nevada, but in the national movement for a 28th Amendment,” said Ben Gubits, Associate Director, American Promise.
“As citizens of these United States we have witnessed throughout our history the resilience of our democracy; that the ingenuity of our American “experiment” would balance competing interests over time to ensure that citizens, the stewards of democracy, have an equal voice in determining our nation’s destiny. Thanks to the “Silver State” we are now one step closer to repairing our Constitutional foundation of equal citizenship,” said Ben Gubits.
“Amid tremendous attacks on our democracy, Nevada’s call to overturn Citizens United is a great shining light to show that there is still hope, and that people power can overcome the power of the wealthy and big business,” Said Jonah Minkoff-Zern, the Director of Public Citizen’s Democracy Is For People campaign.
19 states and over 800 cities and towns have passed 28th Amendment resolutions with cross-partisan support. In Montana and Colorado, voters have approved 28th Amendment ballot initiatives by 75-25%. In November, Washington State became the 18th State to call for the 28th Amendment, with a voter initiative passing by wide margins in every region and every Congressional district of the state.
On May 16, 2017, the Secretary of State’s office in Wyoming certified a proposed ballot initiative calling for a 28th Amendment to overturn Citizens United. Citizens in Wyoming now have 18 month to gather and submit 38,818 signatures for the initiative to appear on the ballot in 2018. Similar initiatives and resolutions are underway across the country.
“Americans agree on this one issue – we need to get big money out of politics and restore a government of, by, and for the people with a 28th Amendment,” said Jeff Clements.
American Promise, a national non-partisan, non-profit organization is supporting citizen led initiatives in 50 states with one goal: winning the 28th Amendment to get big money out of politics. American Promise inspires, empowers, and organizes Americans from across the political spectrum to build support for the 28th Amendment community by community, state by state, to drive the Amendment out of Congress and to the States for ratification. To learn more about American Promise visit www.AmericanPromise.net
