Democrats in the U.S. Senate have so far been unable to overcome Republican opposition to campaign disclosure legislation designed to address unlimited spending by corporations and unions on elections since a key court decision was handed down earlier this year.

 

Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, Democrats sought to curb unrestricted sums of corporate money to fund political advertisements. Their solution, contained in the DISCLOSE Act, headed for a vote in the Senate, until Republicans began a filibuster to block consideration.

 

Democrats fell one vote short of ending the filibuster (59-39), even after intense lobbying of moderate Republicans Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine to gain their support.

 

The legislation, which already has passed the House, would require companies and unions that finance independent expenditure campaigns in races to identify in their political advertisements the names of top donors and key executives behind the efforts.

 

Also, companies would be barred from producing independent expenditures if they owe the U.S. government for unpaid bailout loans, are large government contractors or are foreign owned.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

 

Senate Republicans Again Block DISCLOSE Act, Designed to Reveal Special Interest Spending (by Michael Beckel, OpenSecrets.org)

DISCLOSE Act Fails in Senate Vote (by Jesse Zwick, Washington Independent)

U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 111th Congress - 2nd Session (U.S. Senate)