AB 83: The Get Foreign Money Out of California Elections Act

PASSED OUT OF THE CA ASSEMBLY ELECTION COMMITTEE On March 15, 2023 AND

IS NOW IN THE ASSEMBLY APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

Did you know that foreign investors currently own 40% of shares of US corporations?  And did you know that 98% of the S&P 500 US corporations qualify as "foreign influenced"!?

WE NEED YOUR HELP TO PASS AB 83: The Get Foreign Money Out of California Elections Act!

• Sign the Petition
• Read the Author's Fact Sheet about AB 83
• Read the MOVI Fact Sheet about AB 83
• Read the MOVI Talking Points about AB 83
• See the Sample Organizational Support Letter

CALL YOUR CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLYMEMBER AND SENATOR TO ASK THEM TO SIGN ON AS A CO-SPONSOR OF AB83 - THE GET FOREIGN MONEY OUT OF CALIFORNIA ELECTIONS ACT

Tell them:

1. US Election Code prohibits direct and indirect contributions of foreign money into US elections. (52 U.S. Code § 30121)
2. Citizens United v FEC (2010) created a loophole for foreign money to slide in anyway.  Now it's an avalanche.
3. 40% of all shares held in US corporations are owned by foreign investors!  40%!  (It was 5% in 1982.) That's outrageous.
4. The California Legislature must bring California into compliance with US Code and get the foreign money out of our elections.
5. Close the loophole!  Please co-author AB 83 to Get Foreign Money Out of California Elections.

CLICK HERE TO FIND YOUR CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLYMEMBER AND SENATOR

LEARN MORE ABOUT WHY WE NEED TO PASS AB 83

• Read Free Speech For People's comprehensive case for AB 83.
• Here is a great article from the Center for American Progress on why it is important to end foreign influence corporate spending in U.S. elections.
• Robert Reich explains the problem of foreign influence in our elections
• Read US Election Law
• Written Testimony from Federal Election Commissioner Ellen L. Weintraub
• Written Testimony from Laurence H. Tribe (Harvard Law School)
• Written Testimony from John C. Coates IV (Harvard Law School)

WE ALSO NEED PEOPLE TO WRITE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR OF YOUR LOCAL PAPERS TO TELL THEM WHY YOU CARE ABOUT THIS.  It's not as daunting to write one as it may seem.  If your paper has any articles on this issue, a quick response is usually appreciated to show you are reading closely.  Here is a simple how to write a letter to the editor.

AB 83 has been endorsed by: Center for American Progress, Courage California, End Citizens United, Free Speech For People, Indivisible CASS, The League of Women Voters of California, Our Revolution, PDA-CA, PFAW, Public Citizen, RepresentUS and over 130 organizations.

Watch the testimony from The League of Women Voters of California in support of last year's bill in the clip below.

US Code clearly prohibits foreign money in US elections.  Citizens United v FEC opened our elections to foreign money and influence through foreign investors who now hold over 40% of all shares in US corporations.  The result has been precisely what our founders feared.

Watch the Virtual Town Hall with:

• California Assembly Member Alex Lee (author of AB 83)
• Congressman Jamie Raskin (author of HR 6283)
• Free Speech For People's President John Bonifaz
• Former Seattle City Council President Lorena Gonzalez
• San Jose City Council Member David Cohen (San Jose Motion Author)
• MOVI's Michele Sutter

Want to know more about the campaign to get foreign money out of California Elections?  Click here to request a speaker from MOVI at your organization's next online meeting.

NOW IN CONGRESS: HR 6283, Get Foreign Money Out of U.S. Elections Act (Rep. Jamie Raskin) HR 6283 would prohibit foreign influenced corporations from participating in US Elections.

• Read Rep. Raskin's letter to the Security and Exchange Commission on why foreign influenced corporations should not participate in US elections.

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With the passage of Prop 59 California voters instructed our elected officials “to use all of their constitutional authority” to deliver to the people of California an amendment to the US Constitution which would remove Big Money from our elections.

22 states have passed legislation instructing the US Congress to pass an amendment to overturn Citizens United.  Virginia became the 22nd in January, 2021.  When the Wyoming legislature introduced a 2017 bill to overturn Citizens United that left only 7 states in the entire country with no formal measures undertaken to overturn Citizens United.  

Money Out Voters In, MOVI is an organization of democracy advocates dedicated to ending corporate rule and promoting civic engagement.

Money Out Voters In is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and donations are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed under the law.