On August 28, 2025, Congresswoman Summer season L. Lee (PA-12) convened a public roundtable dialogue, The Many Over the Cash: Roundtable on Cash in Politics, at Carnegie Mellon College’s McConomy Auditorium to shine a highlight on the rising motion to finish the corrupting affect of massive cash in U.S. politics. The occasion, hosted in collaboration with Free Speech For Individuals, drew practically 400 attendees, together with college students, group leaders, and members of the general public, with extra viewers becoming a member of through livestream.
The dialogue featured Congresswoman Lee alongside Courtney Hostetler, Authorized Director at Free Speech For Individuals, and was emceed by Alexandra Flores-Quilty, Marketing campaign Director at Free Speech For Individuals. Collectively, the panel examined options to curb company political spending, abolish tremendous PACs, and advance a constitutional modification to overturn Residents United v. FEC.
“Our democracy ought to reply to the folks, not the highly effective,” stated Rep. Lee. “For much too lengthy, billionaires and company pursuits have hijacked our political system by pouring limitless quantities of cash into elections to guard their energy and earnings. Cash in politics impacts the whole lot, from housing and healthcare to local weather and staff’ rights. We can not construct a authorities that really serves working folks, together with Black, brown, and marginalized communities, whereas the ultra-wealthy get to write down the principles. Shopping for elections ought to by no means be accepted as the brand new norm in our democracy. The way forward for our communities relies on breaking the stranglehold of massive cash so that each voice, not simply the wealthiest few, shapes the route of this nation.”
“American elections are flooded by large cash from billionaires and particular pursuits that drown out the voices of on a regular basis voters. It’s time for reform. We applaud Congresswoman Lee for championing important laws to abolish tremendous PACs and for supporting a constitutional modification to overturn Residents United. These reforms will assist restore integrity to our elections,” stated Alexandra Flores-Quilty, Marketing campaign Director of Free Speech For Individuals. “We deserve elections decided by the folks, not by large cash and multinational firms.”
“Our democracy is being eroded by billionaires, multinational firms, and particular curiosity teams that use cash to manage our elections and overwhelm the voices of the folks. It doesn’t need to be this manner—and thru most of our nation’s historical past, it wasn’t. We applaud Congresswoman Lee for championing workable options to revive a democratic system that prioritizes speech and folks, not cash and firms,” stated Courtney Hostetler, Authorized Director of Free Speech For Individuals.
The occasion underscored Lee’s legislative efforts to confront concentrated wealth and company affect, together with the Abolish Tremendous PACs Act, which might shut loopholes enabling billionaires and darkish cash teams to drown out the voices of voters.
Attendees engaged in a moderated Q&A session, the place group members and college students posed questions on the way forward for marketing campaign finance reform and the function of grassroots organizing in reshaping political energy.
This system opened with welcoming remarks by Carnegie Mellon College Dean of Public Coverage, Kirstin Martin, and featured a brief movie by Larry Lessig and Extra Excellent Union tracing the historical past of cash’s affect on American democracy.
The occasion was co-produced with Free Speech For Individuals, whose authorized and advocacy work facilities on advancing reforms to finish company rule and strengthen democratic establishments.
