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JEFFERSON COUNTY
STATE OF WASHINGTON
In the Matter of Supporting an Amendment
to the United States Constitution to
Abolish Corporate Personhood
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RESOLUTION NO. 24-12
Whereas, government of, by, and for the people has long been a cherished American value; and
the people's fundamental and inalienable right to self-govern, and thereby secure rights to life,
liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness is guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution and the
Declaration of Independence; and
Whereas, free and fair elections are essential to democracy and effective self-governance; and
Whereas, corporations are not mentioned in the U.S. Constitution, and the people have never
granted constitutional rights to corporations, nor have the people decreed that corporations have
authority that exceeds the authority of the people of the United States; and
Whereas, we do not object to the ability of corporations to engage in legal actions essential to
the conduct of their business (e.g. enter into contracts, sue, be sued, etc.); and
Whereas, interpretation of the U.S. Constitution by appointed Supreme Court justices to include
corporations in the term "persons" denies the people's exercise of self-governance by endowing
corporations with constitutional protections intended for the people; and
Whereas, the judicial bestowal of political rights upon corporations usurps basic human and
constitutional rights guaranteed to human persons, and also empowers corporations to sue
municipal and state governments for adopting laws that corporations view as violating these
judicially-bestowed 'corporate rights' even when those laws serve to protect and defend the
legitimate rights of human persons and communities of citizens; and
Whereas, corporations are not and have never been human beings, and therefore they do not
vote in elections and should not be categorized as persons for purposes related to elections for
public office; and
Whereas, the recent Supreme Court decision, Citizens Unitedv. Federal Election Commission,
that rolled back the legal limits on corporate spending in the electoral process creates an unequal
playing field and allows unlimited corporate spending to influence elections, candidate selection,
and policy decisions, and to sway votes, and forces elected officials to divert their attention from
the peoples' business, or even vote against the interest of their human constituents, in order to
ensure competitive campaign funds for their own reelections; and
Whereas, tens of thousands of people, organizations, and municipalities across the nation are
joining with the movement to call for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to abolish corporate
constitutional rights and the doctrine of money as free speech; and
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Whereas, a Memorial proposing an amendment to the U.S. Constitution has been introduced in
the Washington State Legislature through House Joint Memorial 4005 and Senate Joint
Memorial 8007, and has yet to be passed; and
Whereas, over 1,400 citizens have signed a local petition calling for a constitutional amendment
to end corporate personhood, recognizing that corporate money is not free speech and may be
regulated,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Jefferson County Board of County
Commissioners as follows:
1. Jefferson County hereby calls on our Washington State legislators to join the tens ofthousands
of citizens, grassroots organizations and local governments across the country in the campaign to
call for an Amendment to the Constitution of the United States to Abolish Corporate Personhood
and return our democracy, our elections and our communities back to America's human persons
and to thus reclaim the people's sovereign right to self-governance; and
2. Jefferson County calls on other communities and jurisdictions to join with us in this action by
passing similar Resolutions; and
3. Jefferson County supports education to increase public awareness ofthe threats to our
democracy posed by Corporate Personhood, and encourages lively discussion to build
understanding and consensus to take appropriate community and municipal actions to
democratically respond to these threats.
ADOPTED by the Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners at a regular meeting
thereof, held this zzp day of April ,2012.
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Raina Randall
Deputy Clerk of the Board
JEFFERSON COUNTY
BOARD F COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
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Consent Agenda
Commissioners Office
JEFFERSON COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
CONSENT AGENDA REQUEST
TO: Board of County Commissioners
FROM: Philip Morley, County Administrator
DATE: April 23, 2012
SUBJECT: Constitutional Amendment on Corporate Personhood
STATEMENT OF ISSUE:
The Board of County Commissioners may review and approve a County Resolution in the Matter
of Supporting an Amendment to the United States Constitution to Abolish Corporate
Personhood.
ANALYSIS:
On February 27 and April 16, 2012, the County Commissioners discussed a potential resolution
supporting a constitutional amendment to clarifY that rights protected by the U.S. Constitution
should be for the rights of natural persons rather than corporations, and that corporate campaign
contributions and expenditures is not speech and may be regulated. Over 1,400 citizens have
signed a local petition calling for such a constitutional amendment to end corporate personhood
and recognize that corporate money in campaigns is not protected free speech. This local activity
is part of a national movement that is motivated to strengthen our democracy and reduce what
many view as the undue influence of corporations and other organizations on national, state and
local elections,
The Resolution encourages the Washington State Legislature to call for such an amendment to
the U.S. Constitution, and encourages the Legislature and U.S. Congress to consider language
substantially similar as that attached to the County Resolution.
A potential County Resolution is presented for consideration and possible approval by the Board
of County Commissioners.
FINANCIAL ANALYSIS:
The Resolution has no financial impact on the County.
Consent Agenda
Commissioners Office
RECOMMENDATION:
Review and revise the Resolution as appropriate, and consider a motion to adopt the Resolution.
REVIEWED BY:
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Philip Morley, COUhty Administrator
Date