In the News
NRO: Disclose Is a SHAM
By Brad SmithIt’s an election year, and incumbents are nervous. And so, in a classic sign of political weakness, Senate Democrats have scheduled a vote on legislation that would manipulate campaign-finance laws to silence their opponents.
Independent groups
NY Times: How to Get Our Citizens Actually United
By Drew Westen
But the reality is that incumbents who play by the rules of a campaign-finance system that rewards the rich and well-connected tend to reap the corresponding electoral rewards, whereas those who refuse to play find themselves barraged at election time with millions of dollars in negative ads.
NY Times: How Pensions Violate Free Speech
By BENJAMIN I. SACHSWhat Citizens United failed to account for, however, is that a significant portion of the money that corporations are spending on politics is financed by equity capital provided by public pension funds — capital contributions that the government requires public employees to finance with their paychecks.
Politico: Karl Rove hits big: The birth of a mega-donor
By Kenneth P. Vogel and Steve FriessIn the new Wild West of giving and getting campaign money, the marriage of casino mogul Steve Wynn and political guru Karl Rove was an exceptionally powerful — and secretive — one.
Disclosure
Washington Post: Expose the fat cats
EditorialAMERICANS WHO are worried about the corrosive power of big money in politics ought to watch what is about to happen in the Senate. On Monday, a cloture vote is scheduled on legislation that would require the disclosure of donors anonymously pumping tens of millions of dollars into this year’s presidential and congressional campaigns. Not a single Republican in the chamber has expressed support for the bill, known as the Disclose Act, meaning it will probably die for this session. It should be interesting to hear how the Republican senators justify this monumental concealment of campaign cash.
NewsBusters Interview: Sen. McConnell Strikes Back at the New York Times
By Noel SheppardThe New York Times on Sunday published an editorial highly critical of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) position on the Disclose Act.
Roll Call Democrats: Renew Push for DISCLOSE Act
By Jonathan Strong and Eliza Newlin CarneyDays after ripping Republicans for the political theater of holding a health care repeal vote, Democrats are planning their own bit of campaign messaging: a new push for legislation to force disclosure of political spending.
ThinkProgress: NRA Threatens Senators Who Support Campaign Finance Disclosure
By Josh IsraelIn a letter opposing the DISCLOSE Act of 2012 — a bill to allow citizens to know what corporations and wealthy donors are paying for the “independent expenditure” attack ads enabled by the 5-4 Citizens United ruling — the National Rifle Association (NRA) is warning Senators it will score the issue in its legislative scorecard for this Congress.
Politico: Mitch McConnell dead wrong on DISCLOSE Act
By Adam SkaggsSenate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has launched a full-throated attack on the DISCLOSE Act, which Democrats are set to bring to the Senate floor on Monday. DISCLOSE supporters say it ensures transparency and accountability in U.S. elections. McConnell, however, contends it’s a vehicle for intimidation that will squelch political speech and let the Obama administration compile an “old-school enemies list” to punish critics.
