Free Speech for People
Mission: To “renew our democracy and our United States Constitution for we the people, not big money and corporate interests.”
The nonpartisan organization Free Speech For People was founded in 2010 on the day of, and in response to, the Citizens United ruling. It has a social media following of more than 26,000 users and has appeared in numerous national media outlets.
Current Democracy Work
Free Speech For People advocates for two constitutional amendments: the Democracy For All Amendment and the People’s Rights Amendment. The first would overturn the U.S. Supreme Court’s rulings in Citizens United and Buckley v. Valeo and allow for overall campaign spending limits in our elections. The second would disallow corporations to be treated as people with constitutional rights. The organization also develops and promotes model laws that make corporations accountable to local governments and individuals, as well as model laws that create new test cases for challenging Citizens United and Buckley. Through its Legal Advocacy Program, Free Speech For People is leading a parallel movement in the courts for advancing a new jurisprudence on money in politics and American self-government and is serving as a legal resource for the democracy movement.
Recent Successes
In a major win for democracy in the courts, Free Speech For People contributed to Williams-Yulee v. The Florida Bar, in which the Supreme Court upheld state laws prohibiting judges from personally soliciting donations for their campaigns. In 2015, Free Speech For People led the filing of several amicus briefs with other advocacy groups in support of issues from campaign contribution limits to living wage laws.
Your Entry Points
Sign the petition and join the fight for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United. Check out the online Organizer’s Toolkit and join Free Speech For People at co-sponsored events around the country. If you are a law professional, join Free Speech For People’s pro-bono legal advocacy network; law students can are also eligible to apply for internships and fellowship positions.