The Corporate Money Ban Rule proposal

Pro-Democracy, Anti-Oligarchy Amendment to the Rules of the Democratic Party of Arkansas

Democratic Party of Arkansas - State Committee

For: April 12, 2025 Quarterly Meeting

By: State Committee Member Corey Spangler

Date Submitted: March 31, 2025

Whereas, democracy functions best and serves the People best when their voices are not drowned out by overwhelming corporate monies;

Whereas, the majority of Americans support democracy and oppose oligarchy;

Whereas, corporate campaign contributions are essentially bribes that undermine democracy; and

Whereas, the Republican Party is selling democracy, Arkansas, and America to corporations,

BE IT ENACTED BY THE STATE COMMITTEE OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF ARKANSAS:

SECTION 1.  Rules of the Democratic Party of Arkansas, Article IX, Section 9.06, Candidate Eligibility Application is amended to read as follows:

(a) Each candidate for nomination in the Democratic Primary shall file a Candidate Eligibility Application with the appropriate Party committee. The application shall read as follows:

As a candidate in the Democratic Primary Elections to be held on _____ day of ________, 20___, I agree to abide by the results of said Primary Elections and support the Principles of the Democratic Party. I agree not to accept prohibited corporate campaign contributions as outlined in the Rules of the Democratic Party. I am eligible and legally qualified to file for this office under Arkansas law. This _________ day of __________, 20___. Signature_________________ 

SECTION 2.  Rules of the Democratic Party of Arkansas, Article IX, is amended as follows:

Section 9.13. Prohibition of Accepting Campaign Contributions or Bribes from Corporations. Candidates for and nominees of the Democratic Party of Arkansas are prohibited from accepting campaign contributions from corporations (as defined by Arkansas Code Annotated § 4-26-101 et seq. or § 4-27-101 et seq.) or from corporate-tied political action committees. Candidates and nominees may accept campaign contributions from individuals and from political action committees which are not tied to corporations.

These rules shall also apply to the Democratic Party of Arkansas itself (and county parties). The Party is likewise prohibited from accepting campaign contributions from corporations or corporate-tied political action committees. The Party may also accept contributions from individuals, unions, and non-corporate-tied political action committees.

The Rules Committee is empowered to identify and publish a list of prohibited corporate-tied political action committees and to prescribe any corrective action required by a violation of this section. 

SECTION 3. This rule shall go into effect on July 1, 2025. The Rules Committee shall publish an initial list of prohibited political action committees by September 30, 2025.

This rule change proposal was submitted to the Democratic Party of Arkansas by Corey Spangler. He serves on the Cabot City Council, as Chair of the Lonoke County Democrats, and as a member of the DPA’s State Committee.