Under Citizens United, corporations with vast resources — including foreign-owned — can deeply influence elections, legislative leaders, and ballot initiatives. This raises serious concerns about enemy countries interfering in our democracy. Even allied nations’ companies should not have the opportunity to sway U.S. elections.
This issue is bigger than TikTok. Consider Representative Mike Carey’s bill from last year (H.R. 3996), which aimed to protect our food supply by taxing foreign entities acquiring U.S. agricultural interests. Without a constitutional amendment establishing that corporations are not people with our inherent, inalienable constitutional rights, how can we ensure foreign actors aren’t covertly opposing such measures?
Corporations aren’t people! They have people as owners, stockholders, employees, customers and suppliers. And, they have people as neighbors. But they lack the flesh-and-blood lives, homes, and families that define personhood. What benefits a corporation—primarily its bottom line— may not be good for their employees or neighbors, or even our national security.
ExxonMobil is a prime example. Knowing US/Russian relations had been strained, it still forged close relationships with President Putin and Igor Sechin and partnered with Russian owned Rosneft giving them a 30% share. When the US wanted to impose Russian sanctions after their 1st invasion into Ukraine, Exxon lobbied against the sanctions because Exxon puts its profits above our national security.
Similarly, Exxon defied State Department policy by striking an independent oil deal with the Kurdish Regional Government, undermining Iraq’s national government. As an Exxon representative told State Department officials, “I had to do what was best for my shareholders.”
In Ohio, fairness matters deeply. Residents take action when something feels unjust. So, I want to draw your attention to the fact that companies exploit their “corporate personhood.”
Corporations have pushed “corporate personhood” to the point of claiming all our Rights without facing comparable consequences.
The FirstEnergy scandal — Ohio’s largest bribery case — illustrates this. Some individuals involved faced criminal charges, but the corporation continues to operate. Even after illegally bribing legislators, FirstEnergy (now Energy Harbor) secured lucrative contracts with local jurisdictions (Troy). Corporations rarely face meaningful accountability, especially those deemed “too big to fail”. There’s no “corporate jail” or “corporate death penalty.” At most, they pay fines, often absorbed as business expenses or written off on taxes.
This lack of accountability underscores why we need to overturn Citizens United with a constitutional amendment establishing that corporations are not people, and money is not speech.
Supporting the “We the People Amendment” is a critical step toward restoring fairness and limiting corporate influence in our democracy.
At the Federal level the “We the People Amendment” will soon be reintroduced in the U.S. House. Encourage your congressional representative to become a cosponsor. (https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative or Phone: 202-224-3121 TTY: 202-225-1904)
At the state level watch for supportive resolutions to be introduced in Ohio’s 136th General Assembly.
Ohioans value fairness and action. By supporting these amendments, we can push back against the unchecked power of corporations and reclaim democracy for real people, not artificial entities.
Heather Sturgill is a resident of Troy, OH and volunteers with the local “Move to Amend.”