A new bill has been introduced by two senators that aims to close the “Citizens United loophole,” which prevents individual foreign nationals from spending in U.S. elections but does not prevent U.S.-registered corporations, including multinationals, from doing so.
The loophole has allowed corporations to pour unlimited sums of money into American elections, said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), who introduced the legislation along with Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-Md.).
“Foreign money can flow into American elections through the same dark money channels that allow unlimited corporate spending, and those dark money openings are significant vulnerabilities for our democracy,” said Whitehouse. “Our bill will put in place commonsense safeguards to prevent hostile foreign interests from being able to distort American elections with hidden dark money.”
If passed, the legislation will use new foreign ownership thresholds to determine when U.S. corporations should be prohibited from spending on elections.
“Autocrats and oligarchs across the globe have continually tried to control the outcome of U.S. elections, diluting the voices of citizens and undermining American democracy,” said Raskin. “Our legislation closes a glaring loophole opened up by the Supreme Court’s disastrous Citizens United decision which allows U.S. companies primarily owned by foreign entities to funnel money into our elections.”
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) assisted a What’sUpNewp journalist with the reporting included in this story.
All Americans, but Rhode Islanders especially, must be grateful for Senator Whitehouse whose watchdog focus is always on unethical, perhaps criminal, behavior of various individuals and groups that threaten the integrity of our institutions. His razor-sharp focus on Supreme Court ethics and the prevalence of dark money contributions in government is impressive. Thank you Senator Whitehouse for your integrity.