A campaign finance reform plan on the Multnomah County ballot
was written to be challenged — and to force the U.S. Supreme Court to
re-examine its contentious 2010 decision
On
Nov. 8, voters in Multnomah County will decide on a ballot measure that
could make it possible to reel in runaway political campaign funding
nationwide.
While
Measure 26-184 is written as a county charter amendment specific to
Multnomah County races, it contains provisions capping independent
expenditures, which is prohibited under the U.S. Supreme Court Citizens
United decision of 2010.
That
ruling held that political spending is a form of free speech. It
allowed for corporations and unions to begin spending unlimited sums of
money on political campaign promotions and attack ads, and it contained
loopholes making it difficult to know where dark money flowing into
political action committees is coming from.
