Community | July 30, 2010 | 12 comments

Republicans block vote on DISCLOSE act

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is imploring Republican senators to allow a vote on new campaign finance disclosure requirements, warning them not to resort to political delaying tactics that would block the legislation.

Speaking in the Rose Garden on Monday, Obama said that by standing in the way of the bill, Republicans would be giving special interest groups increased sway in Washington.

"Corporate lobbyists will be able to tell members of Congress, if they don't vote the right way, they will face an onslaught of negative ads in their next campaign," Obama said. "And all too often, no one will actually know who's behind those ads."

The bill would impose new donor and contribution disclosure requirements on nearly all organizations that air political ads independently of candidates or the political parties. The legislation would require the sponsor of the ad to appear in it and take responsibility for it. Obama argued that the bill would also reduce foreign influence over American elections.

"You'd think that making these reforms would be a matter of common sense, particularly since they primarily involve just making sure that folks who are financing these ads are disclosed, so that the American people can make up their own minds," Obama said. "Nobody is saying you can't run the ads; just make sure the people know who in fact is behind financing the ads."

The House narrowly passed a similar bill last month.
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    Community,   News and Politics,   Politics,   US Politics,   11 more
  2. tags:
    GOP,  Republicans,  Corporations,  transparency,  1 more
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