Letter to the Editor

Dear Senators Enzi and Barrasso and Representative Cheney:

In a public opinion poll taken in 2016, Rasmussen Reports found that 76% of Americans “believe the wealthiest individuals and companies have too much influence over elections,” while 80% “agree that wealthy special interest groups have too much power and influence over elections.” Bloomberg conducted a poll in 2015 that showed that 78% of Americans had an unfavorable view of the controversial Citizens United v. F.E.C. decision.

Overwhelmingly, Americans agree strongly that money in politics is a very serious problem, and they are starting to take matters into their own hands by demanding an amendment to the United States Constitution declaring that corporations are not people, money is not speech, and that the influence of big money in political campaigns must be curbed.

There are many bills currently pending in Congress that would propose a 28th Amendment to the Constitution to achieve what most Americans agree is needed. Senate Joint Resolution 8 and its accompanying version House Joint Resolution 31 are both pending in the Judiciary Committees of each chamber. Likewise, House Joint Resolution 48 is pending before the House Judiciary Committee. Any of these bills would propose an Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would effectively overturn the disastrous Citizens United case and allow for meaningful campaign finance reform.

This movement isn’t just happening elsewhere across the country, it is also happening here among your constituents. Wyoming Promise, a grass-roots organization of Wyoming citizens, is sponsoring a citizens’ initiative, An Act to Promote Free and Fair Elections, which calls for a 28th Amendment. We are currently gathering signatures throughout Wyoming, seeking to get this measure on the ballot in the fall of 2018. Former Sen. Alan Simpson is among our strongest supporters in this effort.

We urge you, as our elected representatives in Congress, to:

(a) support any of the measures currently pending in Congress, or begin work to introduce a new effective measure, to propose a 28th Amendment to overturn Citizens United, and,

(b) to publicly support the efforts of Wyoming Promise to get the Free and Fair Elections initiative on the ballot in November, 2018.

Please visit our website at http://www.wyomingpromise.org for more information about our efforts here in Wyoming.

Very Truly Yours,

Kenneth D. Chestek

Chair, Wyoming Promise