Adam Schiff Image by Getty

By Ari Feldman May 9, 2019

Representative Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) has introduced a constitutional amendment to effectively undo the Supreme Court verdict in the Citizens United case, CNN reported.

In the 2010 Citizens United ruling, the Supreme Court voted 5-4 to get rid of limits on election spending on communications, such as ads and flyers, by corporations, unions and other groups. Since the ruling, outside spending in elections has increased dramatically, from $131 million in the 2008 presidential election to $1.4 billion in 2016, according to data collected by the Center for Responsive Politics.

“Our democracy is not for sale. We must stop the flood of dark money from drowning out the voices of everyday citizens,” Schiff said in a statement.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

It’s not clear how much Schiff is really interested in getting this amendment passed. Schiff is in the middle of the pitched battle between the House of Representatives and the White House to get the unredacted report from Special Counsel Robert Mueller, and recently subpoenaed Attorney General Bill Barr for the report.

But about three-fourths of Americans would like to see Citizens United abolished by a constitutional, according to a study from The Center for Public Integrity, including two-thirds of Republicans.

The constitution was last amended in 1992, to only allow raises in Representatives’ salaries to take place at the outset of the following term after which they were increased.

Ari Feldman is a staff writer at the Forward. Contact him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @aefeldman

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount