Citizens Petition to Needham Town Meeting – May 2012

Whereas the expenditure of unlimited corporate and union general treasury funds to influence elections threatens to overwhelm our individual voices in our electoral and governing processes, and

Whereas the U.S. Supreme Court’s 5:4 ruling on January 21, 2010 in ‘Citizens United v.
Federal Election Commission’ took away the long-standing power of Congress to place limits on corporate and union political spending, and

Whereas the Court’s decision in ‘Citizens United’ applies to state and local elections, as well as to federal elections, and so makes real the threat that corporate and union expenditures will dominate state and local elections,

Now, therefore let it be resolved that this Town Meeting calls upon the Massachusetts Congressional delegation to support an amendment to the US Constitution that would overturn the Supreme Court decision in ‘Citizens United.’

Be it further resolved that this Town Meeting calls upon our State Legislature to seek the support of our federal delegation for the amendment and to support the amendment if Congress sends it to the states for ratification.