Reform Groups Urge Senators to Pass DISCLOSE Act of 2012
Dear Senator,
The 156 undersigned national, regional and local organizations support S. 3369, the DISCLOSE Act of 2012, sponsored by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse.
The legislation would provide the public with basic information about campaign expenditures made by outside groups that are influencing federal elections and the donors financing these expenditures. The legislation would also provide timely disclosure by Super PACs and require outside groups which make campaign expenditures to take responsibility for their campaign ads.
It is a cardinal rule of campaign finance laws that citizens are entitled to know the identities of the donors financing campaign expenditures to influence their votes, and the amounts they gave. This basic right to know has long been recognized by disclosure laws enacted by Congress and by Supreme Court decisions upholding the constitutionality of these laws.
In the Citizens United decision, the Supreme Court by an 8 to 1 vote upheld the constitutionality of disclosure requirements for outside groups making campaign expenditures. The Court stated:
The First Amendment protects political speech; and disclosure permits citizens and shareholders to react to the speech of corporate entities in a proper way. This transparency enables the electorate to make informed decisions and give proper weight to different speakers and messages.
Polls show citizens strongly support disclosure by outside spenders.
The DISCLOSE Act of 2012 only contains disclosure requirements and does not contain special exceptions for any groups. The legislation is effective, fair and constitutional and deserves the support of Senators. Congress should enact the bill and provide citizens with the information they are entitled to know about who is giving and spending money to influence their votes.
We urge you to vote for S. 3369 and to take all steps necessary for its enactment.
Sincerely,
National Organizations
Alliance for a Just Society
Americans for Campaign Reform
Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law
Campaign Legal Center
Center for Media and Democracy
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
Center for the Study of Democratic Societies
Citizen Works
Coalition for Accountability in Political Spending
Coffee Party USA
Common Cause
Consumer Watchdog
Corporate Ethics International/ Business Ethics Network
Credo Action Network
Democracy 21
Democracy for America
Dēmos
Earth Friends Conservation Fund
Free Speech for People
Global Democracy Project
Greenpeace
Harrington Investments, Inc. Heartland Democracy
League of Women Voters
Main Street Alliance
MapLight
National People’s Action
New Progressive Alliance
People for the American Way
Public Citizen
Rootstrikers
Sunlight Foundation
Trillium Asset Management, LLC
Union of Concerned Scientists
United Republic
Walden Asset Management, a division of Boston Trust
& Investment Management
Wolf-PAC
Working Families Party
Zevin Asset Management, LLC
Regional and Local Organizations
30th LD Democrats of Washington
Adamas Instrument Corporation
aGREATER.US
Alerms International the Abraham Company
Alliance for Progressive Values
American Indian Community Center, Spokane, Washington
American Voices Abroad Berlin
Andell Enterprises, Ltd.
Angel & Cowboy’s Creations
Artivista Consulting
ASAP Handyman Service
Asheville Geothermal Inc.
Auburn Area Democratic Club
Aurora Recording
Aztlan Media Kollective
Back to Democracy
BitJazz Inc.
C P Technology
C. Wolfe Software Engineering
California Clean Money Campaign
Center for Family Farm Development
CEO Pipe Organs/Golden Ponds Farm
Chicago Media Watch
Coffee Party Savannah
Colorado Common Cause
Committee on the Affairs of the 2 Percent
Connecticut Common Cause
CORE (Citizens Organizing for Resources and Environment)
Documents International
Domini Social Investments
Eagle Yachts, Inc.
Earthhome.us
Eastern CT Pain Treatment Center
El Paso Grassroots
Emerald City Green Painting LLC
Financial Alternatives
GETpackaged productions
Greater Lafayette (IN) Rebuild the American Dream
Hanging Rock Animal Hospital, Inc
Health Education Network
Homeowners Against Deficient Dwellings
HomeShare Florida, Inc.
Humanists and Freethinkers of Cape Fear
Ideas, Ink.
Imago Dei
Iowa City Area NOW
Joan Butcher, M.D., LLC
Judith E. Anthony, M.A., counselor and therapist
Kansas City Criminal Justice Task Force
Kickapoo Peace Circle
Knox County IL Progressives
Latinos & Media Project
Laura M. Miranda Attorneys At Law PLLC
Lindsay Suter, Architects
Lora Schlesinger gallery
Louisiana Common Cause
Massachusetts Common Cause
Maule Website and Design
Michigan Campaign Finance Network
Michigan Common Cause
Mid-Peninsula American Dream Council
Military/Veterans Advocacy Group
Minnesota Common Cause
Mississippi Common Cause
MobilizeUs
Move to Amend Greater Chicago
NC Center for Voter Education
Nebraska Common Cause
Neverland Designs
New Mexico Common Cause
North Shore Move to Amend, MA
Northern Illinois Jobs with Justice
Occupy Berkshires
Occupy Des Moines
Ohio Citizen’s Action Money & Politics Project
Oregon Common Cause
Oregon PeaceWorks
Pacific Patent Partners
Peace Action Montgomery
Pennsylvania Common Cause
Philly Neighborhood Networks
Pinellas NOW Florida
PLC Repair
Prema Music
Prestige Hauling, Inc.
Psychology Associates
R.U.F.F. — Retirees Unite For the Future
Regional Solutions
ResearchWorks
Rhode Island Progressive Democrats of America
RK Photography
Rune’s Furniture Store
Schumacher Financial Consulting
Share the Wealth Productions
Sheff Law Offices, P.C.
South Coast ESD Education Association
Southeast Kansas Chapter/National Organization for Women
Still Point Zen Center
Strictly Tango NYC
The Ave Project
The Hummer Group Inc.
The Professionals, insurance and financial advisers
The Writing and Editing Company
theCounselors.com
Therapists for Peace & Justice
Transformation Travel LLC
TunaFisch Fantasies: Art from the Heart
UBU Ministries
Vermont Common Cause
Washington Public Campaigns
We the People of Kansas
Wisconsin Common Cause
Wisconsin Democracy Campaign
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, San Jose Branch
WonderOrganizations
WOW (Women on the Watch)
WV Citizen Action Group
