“The Montana Plan” To Override The Citizens United Decision – The Transparent Election Initiative

According to Truthout, Montana is about to become the first state to oppose the 2010 Citizens United decision by the Supreme Court by using a 2026 ballot initiative — an innovative legal maneuver that could be adopted by other states. The idea is wildly popular. A poll conducted last month by a pro-democracy group known at Issue One found that 74 percent of voters in Montana, including majorities of Republicans and Independents, support the ballot initiative.

For background, in its Citizens United decision, the US Supreme Court effectively ruled that Congress cannot limit the influx of money into political campaigns in any way. It also conferred “personhood” upon corporations, which meant that they were now free to spend as much as they wanted to get candidates who were friendly to their interests elected.

Jeff Mangan, the former commissioner of political practices for Montana launched the Transparent Election Initiative to put Moore’s theory into practice. In June, the “The Montana Plan” was created with the objective of putting the Transparent Election Initiative on the ballot in Montana’s next election. The measure asks voters whether or not their state should redefine corporate charters to disallow spending in elections. If passed, it will become part of the Montana constitution.

Steve Hanley