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Money Out MOVI

trent lange ca clean money

ab 1984 montana plan; const challenge scotus? mont ct 2 issues? will prolly go thru; Hawaii

chris rogers marin ab 1984

6 26 mtg foreign money; no author shi roy

$1 mil vs 10 prop; oregon; steyer; bonifaz

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sutter 1 26

New polling illuminates how the Supreme Court got Citizens United wrong and shows bipartisan momentum for money-in-politics reforms, including proposed Montana ballot measure - Issue One

New polling illuminates how the Supreme Court got Citizens United wrong and shows bipartisan momentum for money-in-politics reforms, including proposed Montana ballot measure

Oct 28, 2025

Media Contact

Cory Combs

Director of Media Relations

New polling commissioned by Issue One and conducted this month by YouGov reveals that overwhelming majorities of Americans — and Montanans — broadly believe that large-scale political spending by corporations, dark money groups, and wealthy donors undermines democracy, creates the appearance of corruption, and reduces trust in government.

The results show that voters across the political spectrum, both nationally and in Montana specifically, reject key assumptions made by the U.S. Supreme Court in its controversial 2010 decision Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, which unleashed a deluge of big money in elections.

Montanans were polled because a new proposed 2026 ballot measure would eliminate corporate and dark money spending in elections by amending state law governing corporate charters.

Overall, Issue One’s new poll found that nearly 8 in 10 Americans (79%) agreed that large independent expenditures (the technical name for political ads that are not coordinated with a candidate) by wealthy donors and corporations in elections give rise to corruption or the appearance of corruption. This included 84% of Democrats, 74% of Republicans, and 79% of independents.

Relatedly, more than 3 in 4 Americans (76%) — including 84% of Democrats, 68% of Republicans, and 77% of independents — agreed that “the appearance of wealthy donors or corporations gaining influence over or access to elected officials causes me to lose faith in this democracy.”

Source: YouGov national survey, Oct. 7-15, 2025

In response to these findings, Issue One Senior Research DirectorMichael Beckel, who oversaw the polling project, said: “Policymakers on both sides of the aisle should be tuning into the fact that overwhelming majorities of Americans across the political spectrum are alarmed by the huge sums being spent in elections by corporations, dark money groups, and wealthy donors.”

Beckel continued: “These findings fly in the face of two of the key assumptions that the U.S. Supreme Court made 15 years ago in Citizens United, namely that independent expenditures do not give rise to corruption or the appearance of corruption, and secondly, that the appearance of influence or access would not cause the electorate to lose faith in democracy. These perceptions of corruption are corrosive to the foundation of our democracy. Our political system cannot function if the public assumes the government is for sale to the highest bidder.”

Added Issue One Policy LeadLiana Keesing: “Montanans are sending a clear message that echoes around the country: Our democracy should be owned by voters, not bought by the wealthy few. These new findings show that people in every corner of the state — and across party lines — want a government that works for all of us, not just those with the deepest pockets. The proposed ballot measure is a bold, practical step toward restoring trust in our political system by ensuring that elections reflect the voices of citizens, not corporate interests. If Montana succeeds, it won’t just reform its own laws; Montanans can pave a path for states across the nation that want to reclaim democracy for the people.”

In Montana, Issue One’s new poll found that nearly 3 in 4 Montanans (74%) — including 84% of Democrats, 69% of Republicans, and 64% of independents — would vote in favor of this proposed ballot measure to eliminate corporate and dark money spending in elections by amending state law governing corporate charters, compared to only 11% opposed.

Source: YouGov survey of Montana voters, Oct. 7-20, 2025

Nationally, Issue One’s poll tested a comparable proposal — asking voters how they would respond if a similar measure were considered in their own state. Support was nearly as strong, with 72% of Americans said they would support such a reform, compared to only 12% opposed, after respondents were exposed to messaging from both supporters and opponents. That included support from 81% of Democrats, 64% of Republicans, and 60% of independents.

These high levels of support persisted even when voters were reminded that proposed reforms to curb corporate and dark money spending in elections could apply to their own preferred groups, or raise free speech concerns.

Other key findings from these two polls included:

Read the toplines, crosstabs, and interested parties’ memo prepared by YouGov for Issue One’s national poll.

Read the toplines, crosstabs, and interested parties’ memo prepared by YouGov for Issue One’s Montana poll.

Issue: Dark Money & Super PACs

4 23 y mail

Two weeks ago the Assembly Appropriations Committee placed AB 83, the Get Foreign Money Out of California Elections Act, in the suspense file, also known as "the place good bills go to die."

In order to get AB 83 out of the suspense file and on to an Assembly floor vote, we're asking for your help to put relentless pressure on Appropriations Committee members.

The Chair, ASM Chris Holden, is the most critical player, but all committee members should be deluged with calls from constituents insisting that AB 83 pass out of the Appropriations Committee and on to an Assembly floor vote.

Join us for CALL IN DAYS:{ today, April 11, Wednesday, April 12 and Thursday, April 13 to urge members of the Appropriations Committee to vote AB 83 out of the suspense file.

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If you can call on each of these days that will be even more effective. (Did we mention that we'll need "relentless pressure"?)

APPROPRIATIONS:

**Chris Holden (Chair)**(916) 319-2041 (Assembly District (AD) 41)

Megan Dahle (Vice Chair)    (916) 319-2001 (AD 1)

Isaac Bryan   (916) 319-2055 (AD 55)

Wendy Carrillo(916) 319-2052 (AD 52)

Diane Dixon(916) 319-2072 (AD 72)

Mike Fong(916) 319-2049 (AD 49)

Lisa Calderon(916) 319-2056 (AD 56)

Gregg Hart    (916) 319-2037 (AD 37)

Josh Lowenthal(916) 319-2069 (AD 69)

Devon Mathis(916) 319-2033 (AD 33)

Diane Papan  (916) 319-2021 (AD 21)

Gail Pellerin  (916) 319-2028 (AD 28)

Robert Rivas (916) 319-2029 (AD 29)

Kate A. Sanchez(916) 319-2071 (AD 71)

Akilah Weber, M.D. (916) 319-2079 (AD 79)

Lori Wilson   (916) 319-2011 (AD 11)

SUGGESTED SCRIPT:

Hello, my name is __ and I'm a voter from __. I'm calling to ask Chair Holden (or Assemblymember ___ ) to vote AB 83 out of the Appropriations Committee's suspense file and get foreign money out of our elections! Please pass AB 83 and fix the Supreme Court's loophole that allowed foreign money into our elections.

Across the country, companies with significant foreign ownership, like Amazon, Uber, DoorDash, and Airbnb, have used their money to influence the outcome of elections and to advance political agendas in their favor.

We deserve a democracy by and for the people of California, not multinational corporations. I urge you to vote AB 83 out of the suspense file.

AB 83 The Get Foreign Money Out of California Elections Act

Holly Moser sp asked four our support 3 23 om for $ ca ab 83?  Lee

prev campaign raskin?

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http://www.moneyoutvotersin.org/

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5/22

US Election law is clear. There should be zero foreign money in our elections.

You can watch the hearing here: https://www.assembly.ca.gov/media/assembly-elections-committee-20220427/video The AB 1819 portion begins at 1:11:54

One more thing, if you have not signed the AB 1819 Petition, it's open again and will be delivered to the Appropriations Committee in advance of that hearing. This is actually a pretty big list. We could get to 2000 today.

Thank you for everything you're continuing to do.

Michele, Holly, Jeff & Cyndy

The MOVI Team

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https://www.thenation.com/article/california-could-sound-the-loudest-call-yet-for-overturning-citizens-united/

 As Michele Sutter, a co-founder of the MOVI (Money Out Voters In) campaign that led the push for the OverturnCitizens United Act in the California Legislature

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may 2016 fs4ppl:

ACRAMENTO, CA: The California Assembly voted today to pass SB 254, The Overturn Citizens United Act in a 48 to 26 vote.  The bill now goes to the California Senate. SB 254 would place a voter instruction on the November ballot that would ask Californians if their representatives should “use all of their constitutional authority…  to overturn Citizens United v FECand other applicable judicial precedents.”

“We are very pleased that the Assembly advanced this bill towards the ballot,” said Michele Sutter, co-founder of MOVI, Money Out Voters In. “Californian voters were silenced in 2014 and I hope we’re allowed to speak in 2016 to overturn Citizens United.

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“People across the nation are rising up to call for a 28th Amendment to the US Constitution which will end the big money dominance of our elections and the fiction of corporations being treated as people with constitutional rights,” says John Bonifaz, the Co-Founder and President of Free Speech For People.  “With today’s vote in the California Assembly, we are now one step closer to ensuring that the people of California will have their voices heard this November on this critical question of our time.  We the people, not corporations and big money interests, shall govern in America.”

“Money is not speech, and corporations are not people. Full stop. This is obvious to anyone not on the payroll of an enormous corporate outfit,” explained Eddie Kurtz, president and executive director of the California-based Courage Campaign.  “As we’ve seen recently in the People’s Report Card of California, Sacramento is drowning in millions of dollars from corporations, leading to more and more legislators voting for the best interest of those corporations, not their constituents. Now is the time to let Californians help lead that movement to overturn Citizens United and formally weigh in on the most vital political issue of our time.”

“If our democratic system of representative government is to survive, the deeply damaging Citizens United and related rulings must be overturned,” said Trent Lange, President of the California Clean Money Campaign. “Billionaires should not have thousands of times more free speech than the average American just because they have so much more money to spend on elections.”

“Today’s vote moves California closer to reclaiming our democracy and undoing the corrosive impact of Citizen’s United,” said Jon Fox, senior democracy campaigner at Friends of the Earth.“It’s clear that we must act now to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, and we can’t do that while big oil and gas giants like Chevron and Exxon keep pumping money into our politics to block the policies we need to protect the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the safety of our communities.”

“The need to limit the influence of extremely wealthy and corporate donors is clearer than ever during this election cycle. At the urging of their constituents, the legislature put Prop 49 on the ballot back in 2014, and we are counting on the legislature to do what it takes to allow Californians to hold a vote on the 2016 ballot.” Emily Rusch, Executive Director, CALPIRG.

“Voters across the political spectrum are clamoring for something to be done about the problem of big money in our political system.,” said Sylvia Moore, Southern California Organizer for California Common Cause. “Everyone should have an equal voice in our democracy – not just those with access to the biggest pocketbook.”

Californians were poised to vote on a similar measure in 2014 when the CA Legislature passed SB 1272, The Overturn Citizens United Act” and that bill became law and qualified for the ballot as Proposition 49.

But Californians did not vote on Prop 49 in 2014.  The California Supreme Court ordered Prop 49 removed from the ballot while the Court considered the measure’s legitimacy.  The California Supreme Court had never before in the history of California removed a ballot measure enacted by the CA Legislature.

In January 2016, the CA Supreme Court ultimately ruled 6 to 1 that Proposition 49 was a legitimate exercise of legislative authority, but neglected to order the measure restored to the November 2016 ballot, as the CA Legislature had requested, insisting instead that the legislature pass a new bill.

In her dissent from her colleagues at the time Prop 49 was removed from the ballot, Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakayue cautioned her colleagues against taking the “extraordinary step” that would “disenfranchise voters.”

In the October 2015 hearing on the Prop 49 case the Chief Justice responded to the often cited “ballot clutter” argument against the voter instruction measure saying “[W]hat does ballot clutter matter if it leads to substantive law?”

Substantive law is exactly what California’s last voter instruction measure led to.  It was 1892 and the question posed to the electorate concerned the direct election of Senators.  Californians passed that voter instruction and 21 years later the 17th Amendment to the US Constitution was ratified.

California voters are hoping that their representatives in the CA Legislature and Governor Brown give them the opportunity again to instruct their representatives on a matter of grave concern to all Americans.

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Prop 49, The Overturn Citizen United Act, will have another day in court.

Late yesterday the California Legislature filed for the Court to rehearHJTA v Padilla and Restore 49 to the November 2016 ballot as the Court should have done in its January 4th ruling.  The filing became official earlier today.

An Amicus Letter was also filed by MOVI, Free Speech For People, California Clean Money Campaign, CALPIRG and Courage Campaign to demonstrate to the Court thatProp 49 was driven by citizen action, to offer the Court new information and to dispel any lingering belief the Court may have that Prop 49 was a calculated act by a partisan legislature to drive turnout.

Sorry to report from the Secretary of State's office that "no action was taken" despite our hundreds upon hundreds of phone calls and the over 10,000 emails our friends at California Clean Money Campaign generated.  MOVI suggested to the SoS's office that Secretary Padilla might want to release a statement for these bitterly disappointed and still disenfranchised Californians who do not understand why he chose not defend our right to vote.

The latest we'll have an answer from the Court is apparently two months though according to the Court Clerk it could be "significantly earlier."  We'll be considering in the coming days how best to make our voices heard in the court now. (Please be in touch if you're bursting with an idea)

Today marks another victory in MOVI'sRestore 49 Campaign.  Our Restore 49 partners and MOVI activists have refused to go away quietly and will continue to refuse to go away or be quiet.

Well done to all & more to come,

49/11/08/16!

Michele

Michele Sutter

http://www.yesonca49.com/==

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http://www.moneyoutvotersin.org/

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Cathy and Cyndy both really liked the list of questions I had, and as I expected, they did not have many answers:

  1. They will probably not require centralized donations and will likely support our own local fundraising as well.
  2. They’re working frantically on messaging — should be forthcoming soon
  3. They will likely permit some local messaging and do not yet now how they’ll manage it
  4. They will probably not do a 50 county campaign, instead focusing on the larger ones
  5. They seem to be overwhelmed by our enthusiastic outreach and are very eager to involve us in Silicon Valley activities — no details yet
  6. Their campaign will be a 527 committee: "Yes on 49 Money Out Voters in”
  7. They are planning a tour and are excited about including a Jeff Clements event here.  The launch will be in LA.
  8. The pro and con arguments are already done.
  9. They are eager for messaging input.
  10. They do not have a plan yet.  Cathy promised to have one to us soon.
  11. They have not yet collected any money.  Our donation of $1,000 will kickstart their committee.  They will likely rely on us (me?) for connections to Silicon Valley money.  I am not as discouraged as I might be because I think the pitch for a statewide measure will be much easier to sell to the deep pocketed that a county measure.  I also think that the Democratic Party fundraising and volunteer infrastructure here will be much more motivated to get involved in Prop. 49 than for just our “little” county initiative.
  12. They are looking into recruiting celebrities — none yet.

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Our partner film *Pay 2 Play: Democracy's High* Stakes,which many of you had the opportunity to see at the 28th Amendment National Roadshow, will be having it's official LA premiere on July 30th at The Crest Theater in Westwood.  

The film will be presented by comedian Rick Overton and will be followed up panel discussion and presentations by our very ownMichele Sutter, along with Kathay Feng (California Common Cause),Trent Lange (California Clean Money), Daniel Lee (Move To Amend) and filmmakers John Wellington Ennis and Holly Mosher (also a MOVI member).

The leadership team of MOVI, Mary Beth Fielder, Michele Sutter, and Chip Travis met while working on the successful effort to pass Resolution 11-0002-S123 unanimously through the Los Angeles City Council in December of 2011, becoming the first major city in the country to pass a resolution calling on the  Congress to draft, pass, and send to the states an amendment to the US Constitution declaring that money is not the same thing as free speech and that Corporations are not entitled to the constitutional rights and protections as natural persons.

 Kathy DaSilva and Cyndy Fowler of MOVI.  Derek Cressman. :{

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Contact Holly Mosher at :{hollywoodnt@mac.com:(style="box-sizing:border-box"):}: or (310) 902-8303 or Michele Sutter at :{michele@moneyoutvotersin.org:(style="box-sizing:border-box"):}: or (310) 633-3421 for more information.

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roadshow

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VIDEO*:{:

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CENK UYGUR OF THE YOUNG TURKS AT THE 28TH AMENDMENT NATIONAL ROADSHOW - UCLA APRIL 26  38 min (then q&a sep)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DrL24Vy6Go

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MONEY OUT OF POLITICS ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL - PANEL DISCUSSION WITH JEFF CLEMENTS (FREE SPEECH FOR PEOPLE) DANIEL LEE (MOVE TO AMEND) KATHAY FENG (CALIFORNIA COMMON CAUSE), PETER MATHEWS (AUTHOR,  DOLLAR DEMOCRACY), ALISON HARTMAN (WOLF-PAC.COM) - UCLA APRIL 26

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpzQnZIH4so&list=UU9bMcW0MFzOAgfQ-7et47zw

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