U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin, who serves as the Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke on the Senate floor to mark the sixteenth anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. FEC decision. Durbin criticized the ruling for increasing the influence of undisclosed money in American politics.
Reflecting on his first campaign for Congress in 1982, Durbin said, “In 1982, I decided to run for the U.S. House of Representatives for the first time… I had a chance. And '82 was a big year for Democrats. I still remember my fear. Would I raise enough money to be a viable candidate? Nobody knew for sure. The average cost for a Congressional campaign in 1982 was $215,000. I raised and spent, as did my opponent, $800,000 each. We set records. Today, would you start off and wage a campaign for $800,000? You would say, ‘well, that's just for the announcement, right? You're going to need a few more dollars if you're serious about being a candidate.’ The number has grown dramatically and is now in the millions for candidates for the House and the Senate.”
Durbin continued by discussing how entrenched financial interests have shaped political agendas: “Under the current system that's described by my colleagues on the floor, there is so much entrenched money that they virtually control the agenda and scare the living hell out of average individuals who don't have a fortune to spend. And that's the reality of what we face.”
He also addressed recent debates over cryptocurrency spending in campaigns: “We now have currently a debate going on on the floor about cryptocurrency. Remember what happened in the last campaign about cryptocurrency? The industry decided that they would pick out one or two Democrats and make a point that they were on the wrong position when it came to cryptocurrency. So, they spent $40 million to defeat one of our colleagues here in the Senate. And they succeeded.”
Durbin criticized Citizens United directly: “Citizens United was mindless. To say that a business has the same rights as an individual under the Constitution is a mindless conclusion… I think ethical reform that's meaningful requires a scandal that's earth-shattering. I'm not sure what's left by way of scandal. What’s going on with corruption in this business has become almost routine. I'm sorry to say that… because so many on both sides of the aisle are good, honest people who are public servants trying to do their best. But this Citizens United decision and where we are in politics today has changed this business so much that I'm not sure we can reclaim the idealism that we aspire to be public servants in this institution.”
He concluded his remarks by noting changes over time: “There's a lot of work to be done. I may not be around for some of it, but I will remember that $800,000 when I first ran was a record. Now it's rather routine.”
Durbin’s full remarks are available via video and audio links provided by his office.
Durbin has supported efforts such as reintroducing an amendment aimed at overturning Citizens United and backing comprehensive reforms like those found in past legislative proposals intended to reduce special interest influence.
The Senate Judiciary Committee, where Durbin holds leadership responsibilities as Ranking Member, plays an important role within federal government oversight by reviewing legislation related to judicial matters and constitutional rights nationwide (https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/). This committee reviews laws affecting civil liberties and public safety across America while conducting oversight from its offices based in Washington D.C., according to its official website (https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/).
