As Stephen Colbert transferred his super political action committee to Jon Stewart Thursday, a local politician was planning his fight to end corporations’ ability to donate unlimited funds to election campaigns.
The Super PAC, Athens City Councilman Jeff Risner, D-2nd Ward, said, exemplifies the problem with today’s free speech definition — it can now include spending money on a campaign.
“(Super PACs) can create advertising from unlimited funding by corporations that often make negative declarations about political opponents,” Risner said. “It’s like watching animals eat each other’s young.”
Risner introduced a resolution at last week’s council meeting denouncing the Supreme Court’s 2010 ruling in Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission, which removed limits on a corporation’s ability to fund political campaigns. The decision allows the state to view a corporation as a person, giving it the first amendment right to free speech.
Risner, who only spent about $80 on his 2011 City Council campaign, is using the resolution to send a message to local residents and the Supreme Court — corporations should not be afforded the same First Amendment rights as people.
An ordinance could not be drafted displaying Athens’ opposition to the 2010 decision because it would be in direct conflict with the court’s ruling and therefore unconstitutional.
Although Risner realizes an amendment is a long-term goal, he plans to fight the ruling with a resolution at first.
“I would love to see this get accomplished in my lifetime,” Risner said. “I would like the immediate satisfaction of an amendment. But even if it doesn’t, I want to know that I helped to set the foundation.”
The resolution vote was postponed to the Feb. 6 council meeting.
“The original date would have coincided somewhat with the 2010 Citizens United case,” said Risner. “But we decided to let the citizens speak to the council (on Tuesday) and wait until Feb. 6 to the voting.”
Though Michele Papai, D-3rd Ward, said she supports many points of the resolution, she’s glad for the discussion time on this topic.
“I think (the resolution) is something that needs to have some further discussion,” Papai said. “On the surface, it has some good points, and I definitely feel that it should be discussed.”
Athens Mayor Paul Wiehl also had good things to say about the statement at last week’s council meeting, expressing his disbelief that corporations can be counted as people.
“I’ll believe corporations are people when Texas executes one,” Wiehl said. “You can’t jail them; they’re more like ghosts than people.”
Risner said he wants Athens to be on the forefront of the movement to overturn the Supreme Court decision.
“Several other cities in America have done this, including Los Angeles,” Risner said. “But Athens would be the first in Ohio.”
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