Fred Wertheimer statement on cloture vote regarding the DISCLOSE Act

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Republican Senators Vote to Protect Secret, Corrupting Contributions over Protecting the American People

Statement of Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer

Democracy 21 greatly appreciates the outstanding national leadership provided by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) in leading the Senate effort to pass the DISCLOSE Act. We also greatly appreciate the votes cast by each Senator who voted for cloture on the DISCLOSE Act.

In a disgraceful disregard for the interests of the American people, Republican Senators have voted to protect secret, corrupting contributions made by millionaires, billionaires and corporations to influence federal elections.

As a result, each Republican Senator who voted to block the Senate from considering the DISCLOSE Act now shares in personal responsibility for the corruption and scandals that lie ahead.

We know from their past statements and votes that many Senate Republicans know better and that they well understand the need for effective campaign finance disclosure.

However, Senate Republicans have chosen to march in lockstep with their leader, Senator Mitch McConnell, over a political cliff and undermine the integrity of our democracy for partisan gain.

The arguments made against the DISCLOSE Act by Senator McConnell are a joke and an insult to the intelligence of the American people.

Senator McConnell’s disingenuous claims that disclosure by outside spending groups is unconstitutional are belied by the fact these claims have been completely rejected by eight of the nine Supreme Court Justices in the Citizens United decision.

Senator McConnell’s faux expressions of concern about the “harassment” and “intimidation” facing donors to groups like the Sierra Club and the NAACP is belied by the fact that the Sierra Club and NAACP have endorsed the DISCLOSE Act and Senator McConnell has shown no interest in the past in otherwise “protecting” the Sierra Club and the NAACP.

What Senator McConnell is really interested in protecting is the ability of wealthy individuals and powerful corporations to secretly inject huge amounts of corrupting money into federal elections, which, to date, is disproportionally benefiting his partisan interests.

Some Republican Senators have alleged that the DISCLOSE Act favors labor unions, but the unwillingness of these Senators to discuss any changes they would like to see to the legislation to address their “labor concerns” with the sponsors of the legislation reveals an unwillingness to support any disclosure legislation. The bottom line is these Senators are perfectly willing to allow secret contributions to continue corrupting our democracy.

As former Republican Senators Warren Rudman and Chuck Hagel said regarding the DISCLOSE Act in an op-ed blog piece published yesterday on The New York Times website:

We believe that every senator should embrace the Disclose Act of 2012. This legislation treats trade unions and corporations equally and gives neither party an advantage. It is good for Republicans and it is good for Democrats. Most important, it is good for the American people.
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No thinking person can deny that the current situation is unacceptable and intolerable. We urge all senators to engage in a bipartisan effort to enact this critically needed legislation. The Disclose Act of 2012 is a prudent and important first step in restoring some sanity to our democratic process.

It is not clear just how long Senate Republicans are going to abandon the interests of the American people in order to pursue partisan gain.

It is clear that the battle to end secret money in federal elections will proceed full steam ahead.

Citizens and reform groups will continue to fight for new disclosure requirements for as long as it takes for the interests of the American people to prevail over the influence-seeking interests of wealthy individuals and corporations.