Reveals how corporate greed led to scandal, corruption, and the January 6th insurrection-and how we can stop it from happening again Donald Trump's false claims of election fraud and the violence of the Capitol riot have made it unavoidably clear that the future of American democracy is in peril. Unseen political actors and untraceable dark money influence our elections, while anti-democratic rhetoric threatens a tilt towards authoritarianism. In Corporatocracy, Ciara Torres-Spelliscy reveals the role corporations play in this dire state of political affairs, and explains why and how they should be held accountable by the courts, their shareholders, and citizens themselves. Drawing on key Supreme Court cases, Torres-Spelliscy explores how corporations have, more often than not, been on the wrong side of history by working to undermine democratic norms, practices, and laws. From bankrolling regressive politicians to funding ghost candidates with dark money, she shows us how corporations subvert the will of the American people, and how courts struggle to hold them and corrupt politicians accountable. Corporations have existed far longer than democracies have. If voters, consumers, and investors are not careful, corporations may well outlive democracy. Corporatocracy brings all of these shadowy tactics to light and offers meaningful legal reforms that can strengthen and protect American democracy.
Ciara Torres-Spelliscy is Professor of Law at Stetson University and a Fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law. She is the author of Corporate Citizen?: An Argument for the Separation of Corporation and State and Political Brands. Torres-Spelliscy also serves on the board of directors of the Mertz Gilmore Foundation and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW).
"Ciara Torres-Spelliscy's compelling and clearly written critique makes visible the interwoven strands of corporate governance failure and political governance risk. This book should be read by anyone interested in whether Americans will be able to keep its experiment in democratic republicanism going, or whether it will slide into oligarchy or worse - which is to say, by everyone." -- John Coates, Deputy Dean and John F. Cogan, Jr. Professor of Law and Economics, Harvard Law School "In Corporatocracy, Ciara Torres-Spelliscy pulls back the curtain on the past and present role of corporate money in politics. From dusty ancient ledgers to crypto currencies, she reveals how money undermines American democracy. She illuminates the underappreciated role of corporate money on January 6th, and how it continued to flow to election-denying politicians after the insurrection. By following the money, this book illustrates why every American should work to bolster democracy through their votes and spending choices." -- Spencer Overton, author of Stealing Democracy: The New Politics of Voter Suppression
