Politics

Justice Thomas Says No to Disclosure, Blames Internet

By Paul Blumenthal

Noted without response. From Justice Thomas’ dissent wherein he states that the court should eliminate all campaign finance disclosure requirements:

…Disclaimer and disclosure requirements enable private citizens and elected officials to implement political strategies specifically calculated to curtail campaign-related activity and prevent the lawful, peaceful exercise of First Amendment rights.

…

Now more than ever, §§201 and 311 will chill protected speech because?as California voters can attest??the advent of the Internet? enables ?prompt disclosure of expenditures,? which ?provide[s]? political opponents ?with the information needed? to intimidate and retaliate against their foes. Ante , at 55. Thus, ?disclosure permits citizens ? to react to the speech of [their political opponents] in a proper??or undeniably improper ??way? long before a plaintiff could prevail on an as-applied challenge.

Please let Justice Thomas know what you think about his opinion on disclosure, transparency and the Internet in the comments.

Full post as published by Sunlight Foundation on January 21, 2010 (boomark / email).