FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MARCH 23, 2017

Contact: Sandy Bolzenius, bolzenius.2@osu.edu, 614-843-6170

Dennis Kucinich to be Keynote Speaker at Annual Democracy Conference

Former Ohio Congressman, two-time Presidential Candidate and Cleveland
Mayor Dennis Kucinich will be the keynote speaker at the 5 th Annual Move
to Amend Ohio Network conference on Saturday, April 1 at the First
Unitarian Universalist Church, 93 W. Weisheimer Rd. in Columbus.

Kucinich will speak on Ending Corporate Personhood & Money as

Speech at 1 pm. Democracy is No Joke is the theme of the April 1 (April
Fools Day) event, which runs from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm.
The conference also features Kaitlin Sopoci-Belknap, Move to Amend National Director; a
Peoples Assembly; participatory action planning; and workshops on numerous topics,
including comparing constitutional amendments, privatization of public assets, how to connect
issues, and emerging social movements.

The Move to Amend Ohio Network is part of the Move to Amend national campaign seeking an
amendment to the U.S. Constitution affirming that only human beings, not corporate entities,
possess inalienable constitutional rights and that money is not equivalent to constitutionally
protected 1st Amendment free speech and, therefore can be regulated. More than 600
communities nationwide have passed municipal resolutions, ordinances or ballot initiatives
calling on Congress to pass this pro-democracy amendment, includes 23 communities across
Ohio. Move to Amend-inspired resolutions have also been introduced in both chambers of the
Ohio General Assembly

Awareness and disgust are rapidly expanding that our political system systematically favors
super wealthy individuals and large corporation at the expense of the public whose political
voices are decreasingly heard, said Sandy Bolzenius of the Move to Amend Ohio Network.
The constitutional doctrines that corporations are persons and money equals free speech are
among the major reasons why basic public needs are not being met by our elected officials. Our
conference will provide information and strategies challenging the corrupting influence of
money in elections and corporate perversion of many constitutional rights, which predate by
decades the 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court decision.

The conference is free and open to the public, but a $5 donation is requested to cover basic
expenses. A box lunch for $12 is available. Reservations are requested. To make a reservation,
email ohio@movetoamend.org or call 330-928-2301.

A full schedule of the conference at https://movetoamend.org/democracy-no-joke-mta-ohio-5th-

annual-gathering

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