Move to Amend WNC to annouce results of candidate questionnaire

Press Release

Move to Amend WNC

In September, Move to Amend WNC (MTAWNC) sent out a questionnaire to candidates of all political parties asking their position on a proposed US Constitutional Amendment to end corporate personhood and allow for government regulation of political corporate campaign contributions. In addition, each candidate was given the opportunity to sign the following pledge:

“I support amending the US Constitution to make clear that corporations and other artificial entities do not have Constitutional rights and that money is not speech and campaign spending should be limited through regulation. I will use my office to support the Movement to Amend the Constitution by passing resolutions, proposing legislation and publicly speaking out about the need for this Amendment.”

MTAWNC has already received a number of positive responses from major party political candidates in Western North Carolina. There may be more by the time of the press conference. Those candidates will be announced and their responses will be released at the press conference on Friday, October 17, 10 AM in front of the Jackson County Justice Center, in Sylva.

Any one candidate getting elected this year could make a big difference on this issue. 5 local municipal governments in Western North Carolina have already passed resolutions in support of this Constitutional Amendment. Jackson County Commissioners fell one vote short of passing the resolution in 2013. There is also significant support in other municipalities and county commissions in the west and throughout the state and one switched vote could result in more resolutions getting passed in many places.

In the last two NC State legislative sessions, a significant block of state legislators in both Houses has introduced an MTA resolution to the US Congress. Eleven states have already passed resolutions to Congress in support of MTA.

This past summer in the US Senate, a Constitutional Amendment was introduced that would have reversed the Supreme Court’s “Citizens United” decision that prohibited government regulation or source disclosure of third-party corporate political campaign contributions. This proposed Amendment only partially addressed the important concerns raised by the specter of corporate money and power controlling our political system. The greater issue of corporate personhood and human rights was not directly addressed. But, the fact that this amendment was introduced this year is an indication of the growing strength and popularity of the Movement to Amend the Constitution to curb the power of corporations and address the issue of personhood.

All members of the press and public are urged to attend this press conference. Press packets will be provided for those in attendance.