H/T TeamSarah.org
6/23/2010
DISCLOSE Act shields Democrat-leaning groups from disclosure requirements
By Jonathan Strong
The Daily Caller
06/21/10
Washington is shocked top Democrats gave the National Rifle Association – one of the most powerful lobbies in town – its own loophole in legislation designed to increase disclosure requirements on campaign spending following the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision.
The untold story is that Democrats assuaged organized labor’s early opposition to the bill by tailoring its provisions to eke out space for unions.
For example, restrictions on companies that received government bailouts during the financial crisis apply to businesses, but not unions: Under the DISCLOSE Act, General Motors can’t tell you who to vote for, but the United Auto Workers union can.
And consider the bill’s laborious record-keeping rules for certain types of donations. Corporations, unions, non-profits and 527 groups will, for the first time, be required to report donors who give more than $600 if they engage in “express” advocacy — urging voters to support one candidate or another by name.
Conveniently, as Republican staff on the House Administration Committee point out, average union dues in 2004 were $377 – below the $600 threshold. Since unions get the vast majority of their funds from member dues, “the new threshold for reporting is likely to have little effect on unions … but a huge effect on associations and advocacy groups,” a GOP summary of the bill says.
Government contractors with contracts of more than $7 million are not permitted to engage in express advocacy. Unions that receive their dues from the taxpayer-funded salaries of public sector employees face no such restriction. Neither do recipients of grants…
As Thursday’s expected vote approaches, take a look at who stands to gain and lose if DISCLOSE passes
By The Daily Caller
06/23/10
The DISCLOSE Act, which Democrats hope will help offset some of the effects of the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. FEC earlier this year, is nothing if not contentious. Supporters of the campaign finance reform bill say it would limit the role of money in elections. Critics claim it would unconstitutionally suppress free speech and that, for a transparency bill, it seems a little too secretive.
Because the vote in the House Rule Committee to bring the DISCLOSE Act to the floor is expected Thursday, it’s useful to examine now what has been said about the bill on both sides of the aisle. The identities of some of the proponents and opponents of the legislation may best explain who would gain and who would lose if the DISCLOSE Act became law…
House Democrats aim to pass DISCLOSE Act Thursday
By Jonathan Strong
The Daily Caller
06/23/10
House Democratic leadership is aiming to pass its campaign spending bill on Thursday, while Democrats are defending it from criticism that it includes loopholes for special interests.
The Daily Caller reported Monday that the legislation, called the DISCLOSE Act, shields labor unions from many of its requirements.
For example, restrictions on companies that received government bailouts during the financial crisis apply to businesses, but not unions: Under the DISCLOSE Act, General Motors can’t tell you who to vote for, but the United Auto Workers union can.
A spokeswoman for Rep. Chris Van Hollen, Maryland Democrat, said the restriction does not apply to unions because bailout money was paid directly to companies, and only indirectly benefited unionized employees of those companies.
Also, government contractors with contracts of more than $7 million are not permitted to engage in express advocacy. Unions that receive their dues from the taxpayer-funded salaries of public sector employees face no such restriction…
