In this episode, we break down the case McCutcheon v FEC, which was heard by the Supreme Court on October 8th.
Help say NO to Citizens United 2: [ Ссылка ]
The case is brought by an Alabama businessman Shaun McCutcheon, together with the Republican National Committee. Shaun McCutcheon is very wealthy, and wants to given money to so many different parts of the Republican party, he's running up against the $123,200 limit on contributions a single donor may make to federal candidates and
political party committees during any two-year election cycle. This $123,200 cap is more than double the average American's income ([ Ссылка ]).
If McCutcheon and the RNC prevail, individual donors will be able to give millions to candidates and political action committees, making it easier than ever to bribe elected officials and entire political parties.
The group Demos has written a brief to the Supreme Court telling them to uphold the aggregate contribution limits, and you can sign a petition to join their call: [ Ссылка ]
McCutcheon's riches come from the company he founded, Coalmont, that provides services to the coal mining industry, and, as the Alabama GOP site proudly touts, McCutcheon is also working on "new energy projects in Alabama for clean coal liquefaction" : [ Ссылка ] And we all know how "clean" clean
coal is!
The Supreme Court has already ruled that campaign contribution limits are constitutional, in 1976 in a case called Buckley v. Valeo: [ Ссылка ] They said the limits were both constitutional AND justified, because they prevent "the most blatant and specific attempts of those with money to influence governmental action."
McCutcheon and the RNC will argue that rolling back the aggregate contribution limits will not be "quid pro quo" corruption. But even that doesn't hold up as a legal argument, as Zephyr Teachout explains: [ Ссылка ]
We'll be watching this case closely, but in the meantime, make sure you sign the petition to tell the Supreme Court to Stop the Power of Big Money Over Politics: [ Ссылка ]
Think Tank Demos has put together a Projected Impact of Striking these aggregate contribution limits, and they estimate that striking it will bring in an additional $1 billion in campaign contributions from elite donors through the 2020 election cycle:
[ Ссылка ]
