State senator? Not quite. (via Wikipedia)In its latest salvo against the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, a decision that unleashed a spigot of corporate cash into American politics, the left-wing group MoveOn.org is asking its subscribers to contact their state elected officials to back a constitutional amendment that would ban corporations from donating to campaigns for elected office.
Amending the U.S. Constitution, of course, requires the ratification of three-quarters of state legislatures. To that end, here’s part of the letter MoveOn sent to its D.C. membership:
Can you call and ask your elected officials: “Will you support a constitutional amendment to get big money out of politics for good?”
Here’s where to call:
State Senator Jim Graham
Phone: (202) 724-8181State Representative Roger Burns
Phone: (202) 727-1000State Representative Victor Silveira
Phone: (202) 727-1000State Representative Anne-Marie Bairstow
Phone: (202) 727-1000State Representative William Kummings
Phone: (202) 727-1000State Representative Leila Afzal
Phone: (202) 727-1000State Representative Lee Reba
Phone: (202) 727-1000State Representative Catherine May
Phone: (202) 727-1000State Representative Trudy Reeves
Phone: (202) 727-1000State Representative Nancy MacWood
Phone: (202) 727-1000
Whoa, whoa, whoa. State Sen. Jim Graham? And a bevy of state representatives? Was the District granted statehood after decades—nay, centuries—of struggle without anyone being told? Does this mean we now live under the yoke of Gov. Vince Gray? Is Eleanor Holmes Norton now enjoying full membership in the U.S. House of Representatives?
Sadly, no. Someone at MoveOn must not have switched off the mail merge when composing this clearly automated email. Graham is still the councilmember for Ward 1, Gray is still the mayor, Norton is still just a non-voting delegate and the District is still subject to the whims of Congress. As for those “state representatives”? Well, they’re all current and former members of Advisory Neighborhood Commission 3C, which oversees Cleveland Park and its surrounding pockets, all of which fall under the domain of Ward 3 Councilmember Mary Cheh.
Anne-Marie Bairstow, who represents single-member district 3C03, was surprised to hear about her new (though erroneous) title. Despite the confusion, she says she agrees with the liberal advocacy group’s aims.
“I agree with MoveOn that we need to keep the big money out of politics,” Bairstow writes in an email. She says that between her two campaigns for her ANC seat, she’s received just one $25 donation, a figure showing that ANC members “exemplify the low budget race free of corporate influence.”
Still, she hopes the mistake will increase MoveOn’s awareness of the push for D.C. statehood.
“I’m flattered that MoveOn gave me a promotion, but I think it might be a stretch to go from deliberating about historic renovations, liquor licenses and dog parks to governing a state,” Bairstow says. “I hope that MoveOn realizes their error and starts to put some resources into D.C. representation.”
