#EMind: Edwards: Supreme Court's Decision to Uphold Citizens United Reaffirms Need for Constitutional Amendment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 25, 2012

Contact:

Dan Weber/Benjamin Gerdes - (202) 225-8699

Edwards: Supreme Court's Decision to Uphold Citizens United Reaffirms Need for Constitutional Amendment

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Donna F. Edwards (MD-4) released a statement today following the Supreme Court's decision to strike down Montana's state law to limit corporate campaign spending. The case, American Tradition Partnership v. Bullock, was a 5-4 decision that reaffirmed the ruling the court reached in Citizens United just two years ago.

"Today's Supreme Court ruling overturning Montana's limits on corporate campaign spending makes clear that a constitutional amendment is the only way to ensure that the American people, not corporations, are in charge of our elections and our democracy," said Congresswoman Edwards. "Since the disastrous Citizens United decision, we have seen an unprecedented amount of money from corporations and the super-wealthy flow into our political system, with experts estimating that $8 billion will be spent on the 2012 elections alone. This is unfair to ordinary citizens and unsustainable for a healthy democracy. We must act with speed and deliberation to stop this backdoor, anonymous corporate spending on our elections. The Supreme Court has closed the door to reasonable laws to regulate campaign financing--the constitutional amendment door is open and we owe it to the American people to walk through it."

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#EMind: Edwards' Statement On Supreme Court's Decision Regarding Arizona Immigration Law

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 25, 2012

Contact: Dan Weber/Ben Gerdes

(202) 225-8699

Edwards' Statement On Supreme Court's Decision Regarding Arizona Immigration Law

Washington, D.C. –Congresswoman Donna F. Edwards (MD-4) today released the following statement regarding the Supreme Court's ruling in Arizona v. United States.  In a 5-3 ruling, the Court rejected 3 of the 4 major provisions contained in the law, but upheld the provision known as the "check your papers" portion of the law.  This controversial provision requires state and local police to check the immigration status of people they stop or detain if there is "reasonable suspicion" that they are illegal immigrants.

"I am encouraged by today's Supreme Court decision that struck down the majority of Arizona's immigration law as unconstitutional," said Congresswoman Edwards.  "The Court's decision to uphold the "check your papers" provision places an important hurdle for law enforcement to avoid racial profiling. Indeed, the Court indicated that this portion of the law could face additional legal challenges once the implications of this policy are realized fully.

"The clearest lesson from today's ruling is that changes to our immigration system cannot be done in a patchwork approach with 20, 30, or 50 individual state laws.  The only real solution to immigration reform is a comprehensive federal law.  President Obama has taken administrative action; the Court has ruled on the Constitutional questions. Now, it's time for my Republican colleagues to stop standing in the way of common sense reforms that prioritize the interests of families and our economy."

The Supreme Court rejected the three provisions of the law that:

·         Make it a state crime for illegal immigrants not to have their federal registration cards;
·         Make it a crime for illegal immigrants to work, apply for work or solicit work, and;
·         Allow state and local police to arrest illegal immigrants without a warrant when probable cause exists that they committed "any public offense that makes the person removable from the United States.

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Dan Weber

Communications Director

Office of Congresswoman Donna F. Edwards (MD-4)

318 Cannon House Office Building

Office: (202) 225-8699

Cell: (202) 297-6060