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Wauwatosa campaign submits over 4,300 petition signatures calling for reversal of Citizens United

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

7/10/13

Signature total far exceeds requirement for referendum in current hometown of Governor Scott Walker

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WAUWATOSA – Today, United Wisconsin, along with local grassroots partners, submitted 4,320 petition signatures, over 18% more than the minimum required by law, calling on the City of Wauwatosa to place a referendum on the next ballot calling for the reversal of the 2010 Citizens United ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court which granted corporations the right to spend unlimited amounts of money to influence elections.

The 60-day petition drive, conducted along with Grassroots Tosa and Move to Amend – Southeastern Wisconsin, marks the latest Wisconsin municipality to petition their local elected officials for the opportunity to be heard over the increasing corrupting of our politics by big money special interests. This April, the cities of Whitewater and Fort Atkinson along with Chippewa County passed similar referendums by wide margins. United Wisconsin and partners currently have two more campaigns underway in the villages of Shorewood and Whitefish Bay.

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United Wisconsin Executive Director Lisa Subeck commented

“The overwhelming support for this petition drive by the residents of Wauwatosa demonstrates just how concerned voters are over the hijacking of our elections by corporations and the wealthy. The next step is for the Wauwatosa Common Council to move this resolution to a city-wide referendum at the next election and give every Wauwatosa resident the chance to make their voice heard over the issue of Citizens United.”

Wauwatosa is the current home of Governor Scott Walker, whose support will ultimately be needed to add Wisconsin to the growing list of states calling for a constitutional amendment reversing Citizens United. In the last 3 years, 16 states have gone on record in opposition to the Citizens United ruling.

“The movement sweeping the nation calling for the reversal of Citizens United transcends political divisions,” Subeck concluded. “In poll after poll, the issue of combating the corrupting influence of big money in politics is met with bipartisan support. Now, the residents of Wauwatosa will have the opportunity to join over 500 municipalities and 16 states across the nation by voicing their support at the ballot box for common-sense campaign finance reform.”


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