Free Speech For People is a national non-partisan organization founded in 2010 to advocate for a new constitutional amendment to limit campaign spending and to repeal the doctrine of corporate personhood. The organization also engages in legal advocacy and corporate charter reform.
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Background
Free Speech For People was founded by Massachusetts-based attorneys John Bonifaz and Jeffrey Clements in January, 2010 in response to the Citizens United v. FEC Supreme Court ruling. Citizens United v. FEC is a U.S. constitutional law case dealing with the regulation of campaign spending by corporations, and was extended to include labor unions and other associations. Free Speech For People supports a proposed 28th Constitutional amendment to overturn the Citizens United v. FEC ruling, that declares money does not equate to free speech, and corporations do not hold the rights of people.
Amendment Work
Free Speech for People supports the Democracy For All Amendment and the People’s Rights Amendment. The Democracy For All Amendment refers to a Senate amendment bill (S.J. Res. 19) introduced by Senator Tom Udall and an accompanying House amendment bill (H.J. Res. 119). The Democracy For All Amendment seeks to allow Congress to set limits on campaign spending, as existed prior to Citizens United v. Fec. The organization also supports the People’s Rights Amendment, which includes a Senate amendment bill (S.J. Res. 18) [and an accompanying House amendment bill (H.J. Res. 21). The People’s Rights Amendment, proposed by House Representative Jim McGovern, seeks to clarify the distinction between the rights of corporations and natural persons.
In 2013, Free Speech For People released a report that highlighted over 100 Republican officials that supported a constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision. A vote on the amendment will take place in the U.S. Senate on September 8, 2014.
Legal Advocacy
Free Speech For People also engages in legal advocacy, public education and organizing to challenge corporate power. Free Speech For People filed a friend-of-the-court amicus brief in the case of Conestoga Wood Specialities Corp. v. Burwell. They also support the initiative to revoke Massey Energy’s corporate charter.
Corporate Charter Reform
After a report from the Mine Safety and Health Administration found that "if basic safety measures were in place there would have been no loss of life at the 2010 Upper Big Branch Mine disaster” which claimed the lives of 29 coal miners, Free Speech For People led efforts with the Rainforest Alliance, Appalachian Voices, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to revoke the corporate charter of the Appalachian coal mining company Massey Energy.