Free Speech For Folks is proud to endorse and assist a citizen initiative to abolish tremendous PAC spending in state elections in Maine. The poll initiative committee, led by Maine Residents to Finish Tremendous PACs and based by Lawrence Lessig, the Roy L. Furman Professor of Legislation and Management at Harvard Legislation Faculty, collected over 76,000 signatures in assist of a referendum to restrict annual contributions to tremendous PACs from people, companies, and different PACs to $5,000 in a calendar 12 months.
By definition, tremendous PACs exist by accepting limitless contributions, which, with sure tremendous PACs, have included multi-million greenback items. This initiative seeks to deal with quid professional quo corruption and the looks of corruption created by these contributions. A $5,000 contribution restrict – which is similar restrict for contributions to PACs which Congress enacted through the Watergate period – would successfully remove tremendous PACs in Maine elections.
The state of Maine doesn’t presently place any limits on contributions to tremendous PACs. In accordance with latest polling, 72% of Maine residents strongly assist limiting contributions to tremendous PACs. The measure has obtained approval from the Maine Secretary of State to look on the November 2024 statewide poll.
If Maine voters move the poll measure, it may doubtlessly arrange an essential new check case to abolish tremendous PACs nationwide. If such a case had been to succeed in the Supreme Court docket, the Court docket would have a brand new alternative to assessment the DC Circuit’s 2010 SpeechNow.org v. FEC ruling, which created tremendous PACs. If the poll measure passes, Free Speech For Folks will work with the Maine Lawyer Normal’s Workplace to defend the legislation in court docket.
In 2015, Free Speech For Folks launched the Ending Tremendous PACs mission to implement a brand new authorized technique to problem the DC Circuit’s ruling that forestalls the federal authorities from limiting contributions to tremendous PACs. With this mission, we apply stress for brand spanking new assessment by federal appellate courts and finally by the Supreme Court docket of the SpeechNow ruling.
