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Advocates press committee to curb dark money, urge constitutional fix after Citizens United
Summary
Witnesses urged the committee to support state action or resolutions aimed at countering the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision and to amend state law or the federal constitution to limit corporate political influence, arguing that unchecked money in politics harms public health and democratic accountability.
Multiple witnesses urged state action aimed at limiting the influence of large sums of money and dark political spending following the Supreme Court's Citizens United ruling.
Nick Boccon (self‑identified as a retiree and advocate) and Ellen Fine (attorney and longtime activist) told the Joint Committee on Election Laws that Massachusetts should take steps to reduce the corrupting influence of corporate money on elections, including supporting a constitutional amendment or state measures that would remove corporate personhood as a basis for unlimited independent expenditures. "A corporation is not a person," Ellen Fine said, arguing that reversing the practical consequences of Citizens United would restore democratic balance and reduce policy harms in areas such as environmental and public‑health regulation.
Speakers described personal experiences they said were linked to policy outcomes driven by wealthy special interests. They urged the committee to consider state‑level remedies and to use Massachusetts' constitutional amendment and ballot mechanisms as a means to restore democratic accountability. The hearing did not include a committee vote on any specific anti‑corruption constitutional language; witnesses said they were prepared to work with staff and sponsors to craft a viable legislative vehicle.
