WASHINGTON – Late last night, the Obama campaign announced that it would support the work of Priorities USA, a super PAC supporting Obama’s candidacy. Super PACs are “non-campaign” organizations that can raise and spend unlimited amounts on influencing elections. Both Mitt Romney and Barack Obama have expressed opposition to the groups.
Speaking in Indianapolis in 2008, Obama decried the system his campaign is now embracing: “Unless we’re willing to challenge the broken system in Washington, and stop letting lobbyists use their clout to get their way, nothing else is going to change.”
In a Republican primary debate on Jan. 16, 2012, Romney said, “We all would like to have super PACs disappear, to tell you the truth.”
In reaction to the news, United Republic CEO Josh Silver released the following statement:
“This is the rotten reality that the Supreme Court created two years ago with its Citizens United decision. Both Obama and Romney condemn super PACs, but feel as if they have no choice but to participate in them.
“I get the mentality: If the other side is stockpiling nuclear weapons, I’d better do the same. The problem is that it’s a mentality of mutual destruction. And what’s being destroyed is the integrity of democracy itself. The real winners are the mega donors who bankroll super PACs.
“Let’s make this the last election in American history of its kind. We must demolish our current campaign finance system and start anew. That work has already begun. Three out of four Americans reject the current system. So after this bender is over, we’re going to tear it all down, and create a new era of reform.
“In the meantime, both candidates claim that they’d like super PACs to disappear. We call on Obama and Romney to immediately explain to voters how they plan to overhaul the system. Americans are waiting. Sixty three percent of Americans say that reducing money in politics will be a factor in their vote.”
About United Republic
United Republic is a new nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to ending the corrupting influence of money in politics. United Republic has over 300,000 members. For more information: www.unitedrepublic.org.
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