Decision ‘troubling’: Court rules firms, unions have no limit on ads for candidates
Wapakoneta Daily News – A U.S. senator is troubled by a Supreme Court decision which frees corporate spending on presidential and congressional campaigns. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, said he was dismayed with a landmark decision made Thursday by the high court regarding the amount of funds companies and labor unions can pump into political campaigns.
“It’s troubling that there’s going to be more and not less money in the political system,” Brown said. “It’s going to be hugely more special interest money.”
By a 5-4 vote, the court overturned a 63-year-old law which prohibited corporations and unions from using money from their treasuries to run their own campaign ads. The decision applies to independent spending that is not coordinated with candidates and threatens similar limits imposed by 24 of the 50 states, including Ohio.
In a teleconference call Thursday, Brown told members of the media the decision does not reflect the public’s sentiment.
With the ruling, corporations can sponsor political advertisements right up to an election. In the long term, corporations, their industry associations and labor unions are free to tap their treasuries to assist candidates.
