Thank you very much, senator. The next witness, mr. Floyd abrams, senior partner at the law firm cahill, gordon, and reindel in new york, not a stranger to this committee over the years. Mr. Abrams, please go ahead. Thank you, senator leahy. Appreciate your invitation to appear here today. The description of the constitutional amendment that is before you today states in its text edit quote relates to the contributions and expenditures intended to affect elections, unquote. Thats one way to safety. I think it wouldve been more defeat revealing to say that it actually relates to speech intended to affect elections. I think it would be even more accurate to say that it relates to limited speech intended to affect elections, and thats the core problem with it. It is intended to limit speech about elections and it would to just adapt. To start at the beginning, this has been said before, it is worth repeating, no ruling providing First Amendment protection has ever been reversed by a const
Of 18 critical races. Senator hatch . Thank you, mr. Chairman. Not the only am one to believe you are the leading First Amendment lawyer in the country. Youre not a member of that is true, not yet. I like the thought. Havee very privileged to you here today and grateful to have the other witnesses as well. Mr. Abrams, this is not the First Amendment that proposes frustrations on speech. This one goes beyond what we have seen in the past. As far as i can tell Senate Joint Resolution 19 is the first one for the purpose of achieving what it calls political equality. Under this amendment government could obstetrician only redefine the constitution could redefine equality and decide whose speech should be suppressed or allowed in order to achieve. Isnt this at odds with americas entire history of controlling speech . It is. It gives enormous power to the legislatures, congress, and states to enforce the law. I would assume that the courts would be very deferential to anything that those leg
People have great wealth and wealth gives more power, as has been said. But the effect of this amendment would be to embody into our law by changing substantively, changing and limiting the First Amendment in a way that at the least we are going to have years and years of litigation. But i do not mind that personally. What we are going to have beyond that is a significantly diminished ability to have this sort of ongoing confrontation at length that we have in our electoral process. The 2012 election in my view was a good example of this system working. There was lots of money out there. There was lots of speech. People heard, sometimes more than they wanted to, but they heard the views of the parties and had a chance to vote. That is way the system ought to work, and that is threatened by this legislation this amendment. Professor raskin says the Supreme Courts decision in Citizens United eliminated the provision that kept trillions of dollars in corporate wealth flowing into federal
I now have the pleasure to introduce my chairperson so prepare for another truly set of remarks. Amy become chair a little bit over a year ago and this was prebolts and im sure figured there might be more of a Straight Line but shes held up like a trooper and been a great leader through a difficult time in this project. Loophole join me in welcoming my chair amy worth clapping thank you, very much. Steve im honored to be here to welcome i all and to say what a great a day and congratulations to everyone. It really is a glorious day. Being around the eastern span one of the things you may have noticed it that construction is not an Old Boys Club anymore. Its something that video news man mark john noticed when he was documenting the bridge. So hes done more than 20 oral histories. And he comprised a short video precisely some of the women who have transcribed to the ante span. Please join me i work in San Francisco my mother worked on the new bridge and my brother. My mom worked on the
Man mark john noticed when he was documenting the bridge. So hes done more than 20 oral histories. And he comprised a short video precisely some of the women who have transcribed to the ante span. Please join me i work in San Francisco my mother worked on the new bridge and my brother. My mom worked on the first and second phase with me for another one of the contractors that were out here. And my grandfather worked on the original span but its been fun. Its one of those projects thats come in a lifetime. Its seeing it take a look take shape. When i finish our work you see something i work for the superintendent of the project. So no days even the same. Its interesting like i said in High School Im going to work and build bridges clapping thank you mark for our outstanding work documenting the women who are breaking barriers in the infrastructure. And also for for or against a pathway for our daughters and our granddaughters interest thank you clapping as m t c and commissioner and as