The Supreme Court's ruling Thursday striking down limits on corporate and union spending in elections is "un-American," Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Thursday. Schumer, a top Senate Democrat who formerly ran their campaign committee, said he would hold hearings on the decision in the coming weeks.You going to try and drag Supreme Court justices in front of your committee? I'll stock up on popcorn, this should be fun.
"I think it's an un-American decision," Schumer said at a press conference Thursday. "I think when the American people understand what this radical decision has meant they will be even more furious and concerned about special interest influence in politics than they are today."
Democrats have responded quickly to rebuke the court's 5-4 ruling in the Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission case, handed down Wednesday. The decision essentially kills a sizable portion of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, better known as the McCain-Feingold Act for its high-profile sponsors. The law, until this ruling, had subject corporations to special spending limits and disclosure rules that did not apply to individuals.
Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.), the sponsor of that 2002 law, has called for new legislation to address the court's ruling. Schumer said Thursday he'd hold hearings as chairman of the Senate Rules Committee. "As chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, which is the committee with jurisdiction over these issues, I'm announcing that we will hold hearings on the impact of this decision within the next of couple of weeks," Schumer said.
At least one Republican -- Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell -- praised that ruling on Wednesday. He described the court's decision as guarantee of "free speech" to businesses groups that were previously deprived of it.
But a handful of Democrats have since charged otherwise. Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) said earlier Wednesday that new corporate spending abilities would only ensure "citizens voices are drowned out."
Yeah, who do those corporate fatcats we blackmail for cash think they are!
Schumer echoed those criticisms in his press conference Wednesday morning, describing the ruling as a grave mistake. "We will regret the day this decision has been issued," Schumer said.