Originally published on the CGS blog on January 22, 2010.
Yesterday’s U.S. Supreme Court decision in Citizens United holds tremendous implications for Citizens for Global Solutions and our supporters. As you read the editorials in newspapers and online and listen to the pundits on television, I invite you to consider how this decision fundamentally changes the advocacy landscape in which we often operate.
This morning, I will leave it to the law professors and historians to put this decision in context and to dissect the constitutional principles in play. I will put aside the “pros” and “cons” of the decision to focus on this: As a practical matter, the financing of political speech and advocacy in the U.S. will immediately change.
Citizens United, the plaintiff in this case, is a nonprofit corporation that has historically opposed Citizens for Global Solutions on issues relating to United States respect for international law and customs, such as ratification of the Law of the Sea.
Citizens for Global Solutions takes seriously our responsibility to represent in Washington the interests of our members and supporters and to educate and empower our members and supporters on the issues of U.S. leadership in building international institutions and respect for rule of law. We will continue to do so as we analyze and adapt to the consequences of this decision.
For those who value true “citizen” input into the American political process, one lesson is clear: Organization like Citizens for Global Solutions will need your sustained support more than ever.
