Kaptur statement on Supreme Court campaign finance decision

Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-9) released the following statement on the Supreme Court ruling today that Vermont’s limits on campaign contributions and on campaign spending by candidates is unconstitutional.  The statement follows:

“The massive iceberg of campaign money that infects every single officeholder at the Federal level is out of control.  It is a moral problem that our nation must address.  I am greatly disappointed that the Supreme Court today struck down Vermont's effort to deal with this very serious problem.  And the reforms being proposed in Congress do not get to the real problem. 

 “Money should not be the controlling factor in deciding who runs or wins office.  If money equals free speech, then lack of money equals lack of free speech.  

“To help move toward real reform, I have introduced a package of four bills dealing with the need for limits on campaign spending.  First, a resolution that recognizes that the Supreme Court erred in the case of Buckley v. Valeo when they stated that free speech equaled money. 

“The second bill is a constitutional amendment that would give Congress and the States the power to limit the contributions and expenditures made by, in support of, candidates for Federal, State or local office. 

“The third measure is the Ethics in Foreign Lobbying Act of 2006, which would prohibit contribution expenditures by foreign-owned corporations and would establish a clearinghouse of public information regarding political activities of foreign principles within the Federal Elections Commission. 

“The fourth bill is the Foreign Agents Compulsory Ethics and Trade Act of 2006, which would impose a lifetime ban on high-level government officials from representing, aiding, or advising foreign governments and foreign political parties; a five-year ban before the Government of the United States. 

“Please support real reform for our children and grandchildren.”