DISCLOSE Act 2012 (S. 3369)

If you have nothing to hide, you don’t hide.

Stay tuned to this page and to Common Cause on Facebook and Twitter for live coverage of the Senate’s activity on DISCLOSE on Monday, July 16, and Tuesday, July 17.

(Twitter hashtags #DISCLOSE2012 and #democracy4sale)

TODAY: Email your Senators and them to support the DISCLOSE Act.

The DISCLOSE Act and the Public’s Right to Know (Bob Edgar in the Huffington Post)

What’s really at stake in the DISCLOSE debate is the public’s right to know. Before every election, Americans are exposed to hundreds — even thousands — of political messages. Information about who is paying for all that speech is vital to our ability to assess it and make decisions about which candidates we want to support.

BACKGROUND

The Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. FEC opened the floodgates to unlimited corporate and special-interest money in elections, bringing about an era where corporations and other wealthy interests can exert vastly disproportionate influence in our political system, including through anonymous donations.

The DISCLOSE Act of 2012 (“Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections”) is a remedy that is carefully targeted to ensure transparency and accountability for the large-scale electioneering activity of outside groups. It contains only the core of the 2010 DISCLOSE Act: disclosure of campaign-related fundraising and spending by outside groups. The Act has been streamlined to reduce the burden on covered organizations, and it provides mechanisms to allow organizations to keep non-political donations private. At the same time, however, the bill contains provisions to prevent corporations and wealthy individuals from using dummy organizations to shield their donations from disclosure.

The DISCLOSE Act of 2012 is sponsored by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (RI) and has 27 co-sponsors in the Senate.

» DISCLOSE Act 2012 (S. 3369) bill text and list of co-sponsors

» Join the petition to help break the filibuster on DISCLOSE (via People for the American Way)

» FAQ on the DISCLOSE Act of 2012 (League of Women Voters

BLOGS and ARTICLES

Expose the Fat Cats (Washington Post) Americans who are worried about the corrosive power of big money in politics ought to watch what is about to happen in the Senate.

Inside look at background for journalists. Common Cause’s edit memo on the DISCLOSE Act of 2012

Brown should DISCLOSE an alternative (BostonHerald.com)

Sen. Whitehouse Takes on Secret Spending in Political Campaigns (GoLocalProv.com)

14 Current Republican Senators Voted for Disclosure Legislation Enacted in 2000 (Democracy21.org)

John McCain: The Maverick Returns? (MotherJones.com)

Senate Cloture Vote on July 16th on DISCLOSE Act; Senators Face Clear Choice: Public Disclosure or Secret Money (Democracy21.org)

What You Should Know about the DISCLOSE Act Part 1: What is the DISCLOSE Act? (SunlightFoundation.com)

What You Should Know about the DISCLOSE Act Part 2: How does the DISCLOSE Act Shine a light on Super PACs and Dark Money? (SunlightFoundation.com)

What You Should Know About the DISCLOSE Act Part 3: Does the DISCLOSE Act Favor Unions? (SunlightFoundation.com)

Whitehouse Intros Super PAC DISCLOSE Bill (RIFuture.org, March 21, 2012)

Opinion: Mitch McConnell dead wrong on DISCLOSE Act (Adam Skaggs – POLITICO.com)

Democrats push for campaign finance disclosure, again (POLITICO.com)