Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) called the Supreme Court’s decision in the Citizens United campaign finance case “corrosive” to the political process Wednesday at a hearing on voting rights.
They reviewed the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision and voter ID laws.
Witnesses including Constitutional Law Attorney Michael Carvin, former Montana Solicitor Anthony Johnstone and League of Women Voters President Elisabeth MacNamara reviewed the Citizens United decision allowing corporations to spend unlimited funds in political campaigns and how recent voter ID laws affect low income citizens ability to vote in elections.
Senator Jon Tester (MT-D) introduced Anthony Johnstone and called the Supreme Court’s decision “disastrous” for democracy and “seats in Congress are up for sale.” He was referring to a nearly 100 year old Montana campaign finance law that was overturned with the Court’s 5 to 4 Citizens United decision in 2009.
Jones Day Partner Michael Carvin, was the lawyer who argued before the Florida Supreme Court on behalf of George W. Bush in the 2000 election Florida recount controversy