Litigation

Difficult Road Seen for Campaign-Spending Disclosure

By Peter Hardin

A campaign-spending disclosure bill recently passed by the House faces rocky going, according to an analysis in The National Journal.

Veteran reporter Eliza Newlin Carney wrote of the DISCLOSE Act, as it is called:

“The bill, which sets out to shed light on corporate and interest group campaign spending, faces an uphill battle in the Senate. A constitutional challenge would be inevitable. And even if the legislation is enacted and upheld, it will do little to fundamentally shift the balance away from private money in American elections.”

You can read about the bill’s history, and its drafting by Democratic leaders in response to the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, in Gavel Grab. President Obama has continued to champion the legislation, but the clock is ticking, and The Hill newspaper reported that chances of its applying to the fall elections are dwindling.

Editorial reaction continued to be divided. In Wisconsin, The Cap Times embraced the bill as “a necessary response to corporate takeover of elections.” But in Nevada, the Las Vegas Review-Journal derided it as unconstitutional called on foes to work hard against its passage.

Full post as published by The Gavel on June 28, 2010 (boomark / email).