'Give Government Back To The People': Lakewood State Rep

LAKEWOOD, OH — Two Democratic State Representatives for Ohio testified about the corrupting influence of money in politics this week. Lakewood's Nickie Antonio and Euclid's Kent Smith both support a resolution limiting corporate influence on U.S. elections.

“In the United States, we still live in a democracy. It is time that our society truly reflects the will of the people,” said Antonio during her testimony. “It is time to give our government back to the people — not corporations.”

The testimony from Antonio and Smith came in support of House Resolution 74. That legislation calls for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would eliminate the personhood of corporations, eliminate the understanding of money as speech and limit money in politics.

“In 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission overturned decades of campaign finance law and gave corporations, billionaires and super PACs new privileges to spend unlimited amounts of money to promote or defeat political candidates,” said Smith. “This is the money that decides who runs, who wins and who governs.”

Another hearing for HR 74 has not yet been announced.

Photo from Rick Uldricks, Patch