A resolution to be presented for adoption by the Austin City Council in June has been drawn up by Coffee Party Austin, Occupy Austin, and Austin Move to Amend. It calls for a Constitutional Amendment and/or other legislative actions to distinguish money from speech, from which it follows that the expenditure of money to influence the electoral or legislative process is not a form of constitutionally protected speech and is subject to regulation.
The resolution calls for regulations intended to remove undue influence on elected officials by curtailing the use of funds by artificial entities such as corporations to influence the electoral or legislative process.
The resolution requires that nothing in the proposed amendment shall be construed to abridge the freedom of the press.
Tentative date for Austin City Council to take up this resolution is June 14th. If you are a resident of Austin, you can help by contacting the Mayor and Council members to urge them to pass this resolution:
Lee Leffingwell, Mayor, lee.leffingwell@austintexas.gov, 512-974-2250
Sheryl Cole, Mayor Pro Tem, sheryl.cole@austintexas.gov, 512-974-2266
City Council Members:
Bill Spelman, bill.spelman@austintexas.gov, 512-974-2256
Mike Martinez, mike.martinez@austintexas.gov, 512-974-2264
Chris Riley, chris.riley@austintexas.gov, 512-974-2260
Laura Morrison, laura.morrison@austintexas.gov, 512-974-2258
Kathie Tovo, kathie.tovo@austintexas.gov, 512-974-2255
This effort is part of a national campaign to garner support for a constitutional amendment to reverse U. S. Supreme Court decisions that have equated money with speech and given corporations free reign to spend corporate money to influence elections. Please call or email your support for this resolution today!