Referenda Censure Citizens United

Voters in Fort Atkinson, Whitewater and Chippewa County approved referenda yesterday that favor overturning the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision.

The landmark Citizen United case struck down limits on campaign spending by corporations and unions on First Amendment grounds. The referenda approved yesterday say that only human beings are entitled to constitutional rights. They also say the regulation of campaign spending by corporations and unions does not restrict the freedom of speech.

Wisconsin Democracy Campaign Director Mike McCabe says similar referenda have already passed in other Wisconsin communities, large and small.

“You don’t see voters across that spectrum agreeing on a lot of things these days, but they do agree that there’s too much money in politics and that something needs to be done to be able to restore the voice of citizens in the political process.”

McCabe says next up should be a statewide referendum in Wisconsin.