Chris Van Hollen: “I could not support Judge Amul Thapar's nomination to fill the vacancy on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth…”

“I could not support Judge Amul Thapar's nomination to fill the vacancy on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. I was extremely concerned about Judge Thapar's views about how the law applies to the issue of money in politics. According to Judge Thapar, ``there is simply no difference between saying that one supports an organization by using words and saying that one supports an organization by donating money.'' His opinion on the role of money in politics in Winter v. Wolnitzek was so extreme that, even in this post-Citizens United era, it was unanimously overruled by the Sixth Circuit. Judge Thapar's willingness to dismiss ethical rules created to avoid partisanship and to ensure impartiality is troubling and prevented me from supporting his nomination. Ever since the Supreme Court rulings in Citizens United v. FEC and McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission, No. 12-536, our political system has been infiltrated by dark money. The untraceable and unlimited amount of money pouring into elections has changed our political system for the worse, and Americans across party lines agree. Eighty-four percent of Americans think that money has too much influence in politics, and over half of Americans think that politicians only promote policies in support of their donors and not their voters.…”