Citizens United was a terrible Supreme Court decision that opened the door for much more private money to be spent on elections. See the examples below.
Billionaires plunked down more than $82 million to support dozens of GOP Senate candidates, including sizable investments in some of the closest races in the country, a USA TODAY analysis of data provided by OpenSecrets found. https://t.co/CpNzOwXSt2
— USA TODAY Politics (@usatodayDC) October 26, 2022
The Citizens United disaster, in a nutshell:
— Robert Reich (@RBReich) August 14, 2022
In 2008, before the ruling, billionaires contributed $31 million to federal campaigns.
In 2020, billionaires contributed $1.2 billion.
That’s a 40-fold increase.
It never had to be like this.
Conservative political activist Leonard Leo's group has received the largest dark money donation ever reported: $1.6 billion.
— The Recount (@therecount) August 22, 2022
Leo has been referred to as Donald Trump's "Supreme Court whisperer" and was influential in the confirmation of all three justices Trump nominated. pic.twitter.com/DQRyzHUj9p
Leonard Leo, former head of the “nonpartisan” Federalist Society, got a rich Republican donor to give him the proceeds of a $1.6 billion corporate transaction to spend as dark money—structuring the sale so neither party pays taxes on the proceeds. https://t.co/AeS7aeCcLA pic.twitter.com/IsOzrwU1Ni
— Mark Joseph Stern (@mjs_DC) August 22, 2022
Along with the Flynn brothers, Byrne launched a project he calls “Operation Eagles Wings” earlier this year during a CPAC conference in Florida. The effort will target nine swing states: AZ, FL, GA, IL, MI PA, TX, VA and WI.https://t.co/xGCVaaMS55
— Marc E. Elias (@marceelias) July 29, 2022
Philly billionaire TikTok backer Jeff Yass had spurned Mastriano's PA gov campaign. Now he's putting big $ behind the GOP candidate:https://t.co/MJ06CClTB1@propublica recently revealed how Yass gamed the tax system to shield his $$ from the IRS:https://t.co/sIRG9UiHtt
— chris morran (@themorrancave) July 28, 2022
Ahead of Arizona's August 2 primary, Thiel has spent millions bankrolling Saving Arizona, a super PAC backing Blake Masters, a Republican candidate for Senate. https://t.co/lRTOKRb8T2
— OpenSecrets.org (@OpenSecretsDC) July 27, 2022
A wealthy space entrepreneur who has spent his fortune exploring the cosmos and once said aliens are already on Earth "right under people's noses" is now the largest donor to the political operation of Florida Gov. Ron Desantis this election cycle https://t.co/vvc62qPFhs
— CNN (@CNN) July 15, 2022
"Former associates said the billionaires are focused on education issues, and their goal is to replace public education with Christian schooling.
— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) July 25, 2022
"Wilks is a pastor at the church his father founded, and Dunn preaches at the church his family attends."
1/2 https://t.co/kLdfV1K6J3
The fight that’s coming:
— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) July 24, 2022
democracy v. monarchy
true freedom v. white male freedom
broad populism v. billionaire enabling populism https://t.co/yqd0jXScIw
The Republican Attorneys General Association is hosting a retreat for its corporate donors at a luxury resort, celebrating their victory in getting Roe overturned.
— Citizens for Ethics (@CREWcrew) July 14, 2022
RSVP’d to attend include Comcast, General Motors, Johnson & Johnson, Lowe’s and Walmart.https://t.co/ekgpsTFWff
The number of Jan 6 participants that have fossil fuel links is very high.
— Nicole Parsons (@npars01) July 21, 2022
Almost like the fossil fuel industry is helping Trump's coup & waging war on democracy itself.
The GOP donors funding a Seditious Conspiracy:
Koch. Griffin. Uihlein. Schwarzman. Ellison. Thiel. Putin. pic.twitter.com/BwgVdqBhOr
Significant funding backed both sides in Trump’s effort to punish Georgia state officials who stood up to him, and relied on money originally provided by donors who remain secret.https://t.co/d026AAyHQ0
— Citizens for Ethics (@CREWcrew) July 15, 2022
Two of the biggest political donors in Texas have used their fortunes to push the state further to the right. https://t.co/i7Fg088XAL
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) July 24, 2022
Sad! 