1. United States
2. Ariz.
3. Letter

I urge you to oppose SCR1005 when it comes before the Senate Judiciary and Elections Committee on Wednesday. This resolution, sponsored by Senator Mark Finchem, would ask Arizona voters to ban ballot measures from accepting money or in-kind donations from foreign corporations or persons. While this may sound reasonable on its surface, it is unnecessary model legislation from the Trump-connected America First Policy Institute that targets legal political activity. The Federal Election Commission has already determined that the type of donations this resolution seeks to ban are legal under current law. The America First Policy Institute's own materials reveal their true motivation, claiming that "left-wing special interests are weaponizing ballot measures to push their radical agenda." Their chief complaint appears to be that a wealthy Wyoming resident with Swiss citizenship is donating to organizations supporting progressive ballot initiatives. This resolution is not about protecting Arizona's democratic process but about silencing specific viewpoints through constitutional amendment. Arizona's ballot measure process is a critical tool for direct democracy, allowing citizens to address issues when the legislature will not act. Creating new restrictions on funding based on the national origin of donors sets a dangerous precedent and could invite legal challenges while doing nothing to address actual concerns about transparency or accountability. If there are legitimate concerns about ballot measure funding, those should be addressed through comprehensive campaign finance reform that applies equally to all political activity, not targeted restrictions designed to disadvantage one side of the political spectrum. The resolution was prefiled on December 29, 2025, and has already been assigned to both the Senate Judiciary and Elections Committee and the Senate Rules Committee. I ask that you vote no on SCR1005 and prevent this unnecessary and politically motivated measure from advancing to Arizona voters.