Washington, D.C. — On the 10th anniversary of Citizens United v. FEC, a decision that overturned decades of legal precedent and paved the way for corporate polluters to spend an unlimited amount of money to influence elections, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) released the following statement from Judiciary Program Director Ben Driscoll:

“In the ten years since the Citizens United decision, the oil and gas industry has spent over 370 million dollars* influencing federal elections and effectively silenced the public’s urgent call for climate action. In order to take action on climate, restore our democracy, and address the damage of Citizens United, we need to pass the For the People Act, H.R. 1, bold democracy legislation that was voted out of the House nearly a year ago and has been sitting on Mitch McConnell’s desk. By ensuring access to the ballot box, reducing the influence of big money and strengthening our ethics rules, we can put the power back in the hands of the people, not wealthy corporate interests.”

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*Correction: An earlier version of this statement incorrectly said that the oil and gas industry has spent over $370 billion since the Citizens United decision — it is actually over $370 million.