99 Rise was founded about 3 years ago in Los Angeles by my friend Kai Newkirk.
99 Rise is the tip of the spear in the movement to overturn Citizens United and get money out of politics.
Today these five 99 Risers were arrested in the US Supreme Court;
Protesters again disrupt U.S. Supreme Court proceedings
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Protesters disrupted U.S. Supreme Court proceedings for the third time in just over a year on Wednesday, with several people shouting out before the nine justices heard oral arguments in a bankruptcy case.
The protesters criticized two court rulings that pared back campaign finance restrictions.
5 arrested at Supreme Court after courtroom protest of campaign finance decisions
The first protester rose from his seat among spectators in the courtroom just after the justices took the bench at 10 a.m. "I rise to claim our democracy, one person, one vote," he said.
Chief Justice John Roberts initially joked that he didn't think the court's scheduled arguments in bankruptcy cases "would attract such attention." But Roberts turned serious as the protests continued and warned that anyone disrupting proceedings could be charged with criminal contempt.
This is the third time 99 Rise activists get arrested in the Supreme Court.
This is the video of the first arrest back in February 2014;
It is the only video ever taken inside the Supreme Court.
This was an impressive act of civil disobedience by my friend Kai. So I decided to support his organization and I help them with the March for Democracy.
The March for Democracy arrives in Sacramento on Sunday
The march was joined along the way by many famous people including Lawrence Lessig and Dolores Huerta. And many Kossacks joined us in the Capitol, including Meteor Blades and navajo.
Many organizations and activists are doing what they can, 99 Rise specializes in non-violent civil disobedience. And 99 Rise is now a nationwide organization.
Any support is welcome.
Below the fold is the 99 Rise press release
CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE INSIDE U.S. SUPREME COURT
Activists Disrupt Court, Protest Money-in-Politics Corruption for McCutcheon Anniversary
Contact: Curt Ries, Kai Newkirk
media@99rise.org
(415) 847-5351, (310) 703-3046
Washington D.C. - Five members of the grassroots organization 99Rise disrupted the nation's highest Court this morning, issuing a series of statements protesting recent court rulings that facilitate enormous increases in campaign spending by a tiny fraction the wealthiest 1%. Protestors rose one by one to deliver their statements to the Court, demanding they "Reverse McCutcheon and overturn Citizens United," before raising their index finger in the air, a gesture signifying "one person, one vote" political equality. They were detained and arrested by court security.
"The Supreme Court is deeply complicit in the corruption of our democracy," said Belinda Rodriguez, who participated in protest. "Their McCutcheon and Citizens United rulings have allowed corporations and billionaires to essentially buy our elections with unlimited sums of campaign cash, silencing the vast majority of voters. We're here to send a message that the American people won't stand for it."
2012 and 2014 were the most expensive elections in U.S. history, with more money spent by fewer deep-pocketed donors than every before, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Candidates who raise the most money win election or reelection in over 90% of races.
The protest comes on the heels of two previous displays of civil disobedience organized by 99Rise and one day before the first anniversary of the Court's McCutcheon v. FEC decision, which removed aggregate spending limits for individual campaign donors. Rallies led by a number of pro-democracy organizations are being planned across the country to protest the decision. Huge majorities of the American public have polled in favor of reducing the influence of money in politics.
"We're taking a stand against the idea that money can buy our democracy," said Rodriguez. "Equal representation means having an equal voice. Currently, a tiny fraction of the nation's wealthiest 1% have excessive representation in our government because of the legalized bribery that the Supreme Court has allowed. We're here to show that the other 99% of us are not afraid to resist this fundamental corruption using nonviolent civil disobedience."
99Rise is a social movement-building organization waging nonviolent struggle to get money out of politics and reclaim democracy for all Americans. Their previous Supreme Court disruptions mark the first time video has ever been captured from inside the chamber.
Supreme Court Protestors, Age, State:
Belinda Rodriguez, 24, FL
Richard Saffle, 33, WV
Mattew Kresling, 41, CA
Yasmina Mrabet, 27, DC
David Bronstein, 27, DC