06.25.12

Durbin Statement on the Supreme Court's Decision Not to Rehear Citizens United

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today after the Supreme Court refused to revisit the Citizens United decision:

 

“Citizens United has created a field day for American Oligarchs to dump millions of dollars into campaigns,” Durbin said. “Today the Supreme Court refused to even reconsider this disastrous decision. Congress must now enact common sense reforms that cannot be overturned by the Supreme Court, and I will chair a hearing next month on proposals that would begin to rein in the influence of corporate and special interest money.”

 

On July 17, Durbin will chair a hearing to examine pending constitutional proposals introduced in response to the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision. Additional details will be announced soon.

 

Durbin is the Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights.  He is a cosponsor of a constitutional amendment granting Congress and the states authority to regulate campaign contributions and expenditures.

 

He is also the author of the Fair Elections Now Act, a bill that would allow qualified, legitimate candidates to receive grants, matching funds, and television vouchers to run competitive campaigns based on small dollar donations from ordinary Americans, not special interest money from lobbyists and corporations.