Statement on Supreme Court Ruling in
Montana Campaign Funding Case
WASHINGTON, June 25 -- Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement today after the U.S. Supreme Court reversed a Montana Supreme Court ruling that allowed limits on campaign contributions:
"I am extremely disappointed but not surprised that the U.S. Supreme Court reversed the Montana court ruling that would have allowed limits on campaign contributions.
"The U.S. Supreme Court's absurd 5-4 ruling two years ago in Citizens United was a major blow to American democratic traditions. Sadly, despite all of the evidence that Americans see every day, the court continues to believe that its decision makes sense.
"In recent weeks, multi-billionaires such as the Koch brothers and Sheldon Adelson have made it clear that, as a result of the Citizens United decision, they intend to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to buy this election for candidates who support the super-wealthy. This is not democracy. This is plutocracy. And that is why we must overturn Citizens United if we are serious about maintaining the foundations of American democracy.
"I intend to work as hard as I can for a constitutional amendment to overturn this disastrous Supreme Court decision.
"In his famous speech at Gettysburg during the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln talked about America as a country "of the people, by the people and for the people.' Today, as a result of the Supreme Court's refusal to reconsider its decision in Citizens United, we are rapidly moving toward a nation of the super-rich, by the super-rich and for the super-rich. That is not what America is supposed to be about. This Supreme Court decision must be overturned."
To see Sanders' proposed constitutional amendment, click here.