Senate Joint Resolution 13 calls for a U.S. constitutional amendment prohibiting unlimited third-party spending in campaigns

JUNEAU-Wednesday morning, the Alaska State Senate passedSenate Joint Resolution 13. SJR 13, sponsored by Senator Bill Wielechowski (D-Anchorage) urges Congress and the President of the United States to amend the U.S. Constitution to prohibit corporations, unions, and individuals from making unlimited independent expenditures supporting or opposing candidates for public office.

The resolution is in response to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in January of 2010 which held that government may not limit political spending by corporations in candidate elections.

“Allowing corporate money to flood the political marketplace is corrupting democracy,” said Senator Wielechowski. “The massive amount of money in politics following this decision is exploding the expense of campaigns, making it difficult for new or unknown candidates to enter a race. On top of that, money spent by billionaires is increasingly going towards negative attacks ads that often misinform voters rather than promote productive discussion.”

Critics of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling also point out that allowing unlimited campaign expenditures by corporations, unions and other individuals shifts the focus for candidates away from individual voters to those whose money can sway hundreds or thousands of voters.

“This decision fuels the cynicism most Americans feel about politics,” said Senator Wielechowski. “If people believe their vote does not matter, then they won’t vote. To disenfranchise voters goes against the very principles that our Founding Fathers used to craft the United States Constitution.”

SJR 13 now heads to the House for further consideration. A similar resolution (HJR 33) was sponsored by Representative Les Gara.

For more information, please call Senator Wielechowski at 907-242-1558 or 907-465-2435.

Source: Office of Senator Bill Wielechowski