{"id":38151,"date":"2012-03-21T12:01:27","date_gmt":"2012-03-21T18:01:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nmpolitics.net\/index\/?p=38151"},"modified":"2012-03-22T07:03:30","modified_gmt":"2012-03-22T13:03:30","slug":"gop-cd1-hopefuls-disagree-about-citizens-united","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/2012\/03\/gop-cd1-hopefuls-disagree-about-citizens-united\/","title":{"rendered":"GOP CD1 hopefuls disagree about Citizens United"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The<\/a>

The U.S. Capitol Building in Washington D.C. (Photo by Heath Haussamen)<\/p><\/div>\n

Janice Arnold-Jones complains about a lack of super PAC transparency and accountability; Gary Smith says Sen. Tom Udall\u2019s motive for trying to overturn Citizens United is protecting his own job.<\/h4>\n

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Today starts a series of posts on the U.S. Senate and 1st Congressional District candidates\u2019 stances on various policy issues.<\/em><\/p>\n

Janice Arnold-Jones<\/a> says the U.S. Supreme Court\u2019s Citizens United decision<\/a>, which tossed out limits on political spending by corporations and unions, has been \u201cdetrimental to our electoral system,\u201d while Gary Smith<\/a> opposes efforts to overturn the court\u2019s decision.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Citizens United decision confines our right to free speech, instead of protect it,\u201d Arnold-Jones said. \u201cWe have seen a rise of super PACs since this decision, which undoubtedly has less transparency, less accountability and more unpredictability than any campaign committee in the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smith, on the other hand, criticized U.S. Sen. Tom Udall<\/a>, D-N.M., and others who want to overturn Citizens United<\/a> with a constitutional amendment.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt does not surprise me that a career politician like Senator Tom Udall would want to limit the free speech of New Mexicans by amending our United States Constitution,\u201d Smith said. \u201cHe has no trouble taking \u2018special interest\u2019 money from PACs, but now he wants others to play by different rules giving new candidates a disadvantage.\u201d<\/p>\n

Arnold-Jones said a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United isn\u2019t necessary, but what\u2019s needed is \u201cleaders who are willing to take on campaign finance reform.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Republican candidates for the 1st Congressional District seat in Congress made their comments in response to questions from NMPolitics.net about the influence of money in politics and ethics reform. NMPolitics.net gave the candidates no word minimum or limit, telling them to say what they had to say. The only criterion was that they not engage in personal attacks.<\/p>\n

Here are the questions NMPolitics.net asked on money in politics and ethics reform:<\/p>\n