Thanks to their friends in the Senate, deep-pocketed campaign donors get to keep their masks on... for now.
Excerpt from article by BILL MOYERS and MICHAEL WINSHIP
Once upon a time conservatives supported the full disclosure of campaign contributors. Now they oppose it with their might — and magic, especially when it comes to unlimited cash from corporations. My goodness, they say, with a semantic wave of the wand, what’s the big deal?: nary a single Fortune 500 company had given a dime to the super PACs. (Even that’s not entirely true, by the way.)
Meanwhile the other hand is poking around for loopholes, stuffing millions of secret corporate dollars into non-profit, tax-exempt organizations called 501(c)s that funnel the money into advertising on behalf of candidates or causes. Legally, in part because the Federal Election Commission does not consider them political committees, they can keep it all nice and anonymous, never revealing who’s really behind the donations or the political ads they buy. This is especially handy for corporations — why risk offending customers by revealing your politics or letting them know how much you’re willing to shell out for a permanent piece of an obliging politician?
That’s why passing a piece of legislation called the DISCLOSE Act is so important and that’s why on Monday, Republicans in the Senate killed it. Again.
Why? Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid: “Perhaps Republicans want to shield the handful of billionaires willing to contribute nine figures to sway a close presidential election.” The election, he said, may be bought by “17 angry, old, white men.”
The DISCLOSE Act is meant to pull back the curtain and reveal who’s donating $10,000 or more not only to super PACs but also to trade groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and these so-called “social welfare” non-profits that can spend limitless cash on campaigns as long as it’s less than half the organization’s total budget.
The New York Times recently cited a report by the Center for Responsive Politics and the Center for Public Integrity finding that “during the 2010 midterm elections, tax-exempt groups outspent super PACs by a 3-to-2 margin with most of that money devoted to attacking Democrats or defending Republicans.” We’re talking in excess of $130 million. What’s more, the Times reported, “such groups have accounted for two-thirds of the political advertising bought by the biggest outside spenders so far in the 2012 election cycle… with close to $100 million in issue ads.” [MORE]
9:44 am ET, July 17, 2012
by Egberto Willies and Eric Byler
Yesterday's cloture vote was defeated with 44 Nays — not a majority, but enough to prevent the 52 Senators who do support transparency from bringing this vital legislation up for a vote. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid voted against cloture so that he could bring the matter up for reconsideration, which he will do today.
When the Campaign Reform Act (better known as McCain/Feingold) became law in 2002, 42 House Republicans voted for it. And, in the Senate, where the bill passed 60 to 40, eleven Republicans voted for it, including of course its principle author.
How many Senators from the list below will dare DEFY THEIR DONORS, represent their constituents, and TRULY PUT COUNTRY FIRST as Sen. McCain has bravely recommended and often demonstrated?
- Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Nay | Phone: 202-224-3324 | Fax: 202-224-4952
- Scott Brown (R-MA), Nay | Phone: (202) 224-4543 | Fax: (202) 228-2646
- Susan Collins (R-ME), Nay | Phone: (202) 224-2523 | Fax: (202) 224-2693
- Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Nay | Phone: 202-224-5972 | DC Fax: 202-224-3808.
- Dean Heller (R-NV), Not Voting | Phone: 202-224-6244 | Fax: (202) 228-6753
- Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Nay | Phone: 202-224-5922 | Fax: (202) 224-0776
- Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Not Voting | Phone: (202) 224-5824 | Fax: (202) 224-9735
- Richard Lugar (R-IN), Nay | Phone: (202) 224-4814 | Fax: (202) 228-0360
- John McCain (R-AZ), Nay | Phone: (202) 224-2235 | Fax: (202) 228-2862
- Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Not Voting | Phone: (202) 224-6665 | Fax: 202-224-5301
- Marco Rubio (R-FL), Nay | Phone: (202) 224-3041 | Fax: (202) 224-3041
- Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Nay | Phone: (202) 224-5344 | Fax: (202) 224-1946
- Roger Wicker (R-MS), Not Voting | Phone: (202) 224-6253 | Fax: (202) 228-0378
Please check to see how your Senators voted, and contact them to either thank them or to beg them to do the right thing for America. More info here.
1. Click here to email your Senators.2. Then click here to give their office (your office) a call!
Below is a letter that the Coffee Party has signed on to:
VOTE FOR S. 3369, THE DISCLOSE ACT OF 2012
July 13, 2012
Dear Senator,
The 156 undersigned national, regional and local organizations support S. 3369, the DISCLOSE Act of 2012, sponsored by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse.
The legislation would provide the public with basic information about campaign expenditures made by outside groups that are influencing federal elections and the donors financing these expenditures. The legislation would also provide timely disclosure by Super PACs and require outside groups which make campaign expenditures to take responsibility for their campaign ads.
It is a cardinal rule of campaign finance laws that citizens are entitled to know the identities of the donors financing campaign expenditures to influence their votes, and the amounts they gave. This basic right to know has long been recognized by disclosure laws enacted by Congress and by Supreme Court decisions upholding the constitutionality of these laws.
In the Citizens United decision, the Supreme Court by an 8 to 1 vote upheld the constitutionality of disclosure requirements for outside groups making campaign expenditures. The Court stated:
The First Amendment protects political speech; and disclosure permits citizens and shareholders to react to the speech of corporate entities in a proper way. This transparency enables the electorate to make informed decisions and give proper weight to different speakers and messages.
Polls show citizens strongly support disclosure by outside spenders.
The DISCLOSE Act of 2012 only contains disclosure requirements and does not contain special exceptions for any groups. The legislation is effective, fair and constitutional and deserves the support of Senators. Congress should enact the bill and provide citizens with the information they are entitled to know about who is giving and spending money to influence their votes.
We urge you to vote for S. 3369 and to take all steps necessary for its enactment.
Sincerely,
Coffee Party USA is among hundreds of good-government organizations who have signed on to the letter above in support the DISCLOSE Act (S. 3369), which has been sent to the Senate and the press today. As you know, the Senate will be voting to break the Republican filibuster against the bill Monday at midnight, and again on Tuesday (if the Monday vote fails). No Republican senator has yet indicated they will support cloture and the bill.
Coffee Party family, this is a call to action. Please call your Senators, Republican and Democrats and urge them to support this bill. If you have your own blog please cross-link and encourage others to do the same.
Some groups are making calls and sending their own letters of support and press releases on Monday; many in the blogosphere will be joining in a blog-o-thon supporting the measure Monday night; and this coalition is setting up a press event at 11 AM on Wednesday following the DISCLOSE Act votes to promote the SEC action for disclosure.
1. Click here to email your Senators.2. Then click here to give their office (your office) a call!
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