[EL] Public Citizen release: Another legislative effort to hide money in politics

[Craig Holman]

Colleagues:


I see no "blue block" on my end, but I'll try re-posting this email directly from Word. That should make it readable for all.


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June13, 2012 
HereWe Go Again: Another Legislative Effort to Hide Money in Politics
RepublicanRider Would Block New FCC Transparency Rule
 
Washington,D.C. – In an effort to stave off another attack against transparency of moneyin politics, Public Citizen today joined with 17 other civic organizations in urging theSenate Committee on Appropriations not to block a new rule requiringTV stations to post information about political ad spending on the Internet.
Thepre-emptive effort by Public Citizen and the other organizations follows on theheels of a rider added to the appropriations bill in the U.S. House ofRepresentatives that would prevent the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)from implementing the new rule. The groups are asking Senate lawmakers toreject any similar amendments.
 Othertransparency measures that have been stalled since the 2010 CitizensUnited decision include:
·         *  theDISCLOSE Act, which would provide full disclosure of spending in elections,even by innocuous-sounding third-party groups;
·         *  theShareholder Protection Act, which would require companies to informshareholders and the public about corporate political spending; and
·          *  aproposed transparency executive order, which would require governmentcontractors to disclose to the public their campaign contributions andexpenditures.


Pendingbefore the Senate is another anti-transparency bill sponsored by U.S. Sen.Susan Collins (R-Maine) that would keep secret information about politicalspending by government contractors. Specifically, the bill would outlaw anyspecial requirement mandating public disclosure by federal contractors of“information relating to political spending, including any payment consistingof a contribution, expenditure, independent expenditure or disbursement for anelectioneering communication that is made by the contractor, any of itspartners, officers, directors or employees, or any of its affiliates orsubsidiaries to a candidate or on behalf of a candidate for election forfederal office.”
To read the full press release andcoalition letter, go to: http://www.citizen.org/pressroom/pressroomredirect.cfm?ID=3629


Craig Holman, Ph.D.
Government Affairs Lobbyist
Public Citizen
215 Pennsylvania Avenue SE
Washington, D.C. 20003
T-(202) 454-5182
C-(202) 905-7413
F-(202) 547-7392
Holman at aol.com
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