LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Keep Money Out of Politics

This Tuesday, the College Park City Council will be considering a resolution to support a Constitutional Amendment to overturn the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. This case, decided in January 2010, held that the First Amendment prevents any government in the United States from restricting the ability of corporations to spend “soft money” on campaigns, or to independently use their funds to influence an election. The Supreme Court held that corporations, like individuals, have the right to free speech, and can use their accumulated funds to influence elections as their directors and shareholders see fit, so long as they do not do so in coordination with an actual campaign.

The impact of this decision has been felt ever since. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the 2010 election was more expensive than any Congressional election in history, with a 338% increase in outside spending over the 2006 elections. 67% of the independent expenditures spent in the 2010 elections came from Super PACs and other organizations “freed” by the Citizens United case to spend unlimited independent funds to influence these elections. 47% of the outside expenditures used in the 2010 election came from undisclosed donors. The 2012 election is shaping up to be even worse, as Super PACs have poured millions of dollars into the primary elections to support their candidates.

The growing influence of money in politics means that most ordinary voters have less and less influence. When the wealthy are able to influence voters through expensive advertising campaigns and portray one message over others, elected officials become answerable only to those who are willing and able to support their campaigns. Those candidates and their wealthy supporters are able to control the message that gets out there and portray their candidates in the most positive light.

So how does this influence College Park?

Why is the College Park City Council considering taking a step into the fray here? Because this impacts College Park as well—unfortunately, if a developer or a group of wealthy individuals wanted to take over the City by supporting a specific candidate, the Citizens United decision could have a serious impact on the City’s ability to control the amount of funds that is needed to run and win in a local election.

In the and won the support of the voters, I did so the best way I know how—by talking to them. I went out and talked to as many voters as I could in a short amount of time, to hear their concerns and talk to them about how we could work together to make College Park a better place to live. Injecting expensive campaigns into College Park could mean that more candidates are running by sending out mass mailings, hiring paid campaigners or using robocalls. This may get them more votes, but it limits the type of dialogue that allows every voter to have his or her voice heard.

Because of this, the City Council should vote to support a Constitutional amendment to overturn the Citizens United decision. Although it isn’t easy to amend the U.S. Constitution, we can work together with other supporters of true Democracy around the country to get this passed, and to make sure that we can keep limits on the amount of money spent in elections on all levels.

Patrick Wojahn is a lawyer and advocate for civil rights. He is serving in his third term as a College Park City Councilman, representing Dist. 1. The Mayor and Council voting meeting will take at 8 p.m. Tuesday in the Council Chambers of , 4500 Knox Road.