Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet issued the following statement on the Supreme Court’s decision in McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission. In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court struck down federal election laws limiting the total amount individuals can donate to political campaigns in a single election cycle.
“Thanks to the Citizens United decision, Coloradans are already witnessing the effects of limitless anonymous spending on campaigns – all they have to do is turn on the TV at night to see the endless attack ads. The last thing we need is more unchecked spending. Today’s decision further chips away at any remaining faith our voters have in our electoral system.
“We are living in a moment that is a profound test for democracy. It is time to restore sanity and confidence in our campaign finance structure by taking common sense measures to increase transparency and disclosure requirements in this system.”
Bennet and Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) have introduced a constitutional amendment that would restore authority to Congress, individual states and the American people to regulate campaign finance. He has also cosponsored the DISCLOSE Act, which would create greater transparency in elections through new disclosure rules.