Himes Advances Common Sense Campaign Finance Reforms
As part of his continuing efforts to change business as usual in Washington, and strengthen fairness and transparency in the electoral system, Jim Himes is working to pass the Disclose Act to counter the effect of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision earlier this year.
Despite opposition from the left and the right, House Democratic leaders are cautiously optimistic they have enough votes to pass a new campaign finance bill.
...in the last week alone, the bill aimed at suppressing the Supreme Court’s Citizen United ruling has picked up 14 co-sponsors, The measure now has 114 backers, including 11 members of the business-friendly Blue Dog Democrat Coalition. The number of supporters has continued to grow despite vehement protests from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business groups that the bill, known as the Disclose Act, would have a chilling effect on free speech.
Campaign finance watchdog groups and the legislation’s main sponsors, Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), are still wary about last-minute lobbying blitzes.
Van Hollen and Schumer want to send the bill to the president’s desk by the July 4 recess in order for it to go into effect before the midterm elections. Van Hollen has convinced two Republicans (Reps. Mike Castle, Del., and Walter Jones, N.C.) to co-sponsor his bill, while Schumer is still seeking GOP support in the upper chamber.
The high court’s decision earlier this year lifted limits on corporate, trade association and union funding of political advertisements.
Critics of the ruling, including Obama, have argued that it will open the floodgates for funding of political ads by shadow groups taking money from corporations and unions.
The Disclose Act attempts to force the groups to disclose exactly where the money for the ads is coming from by forcing corporate and union officials, as well as their top donors, to stand by their ads and disclose their identities in the ads, just as federal politicians must do.
Rep. Jim Himes, a freshman Democrat from Connecticut who faces a challenging reelection in a district previously held by veteran GOP Rep. Christopher Shays, is a former banker at Goldman Sachs. He says he considers himself an ally of the business community, but does not take kindly to threats by the U.S. Chamber against supporting the Disclose bill.
Himes, who signed on as a co-sponsor, said he’s willing to lose his seat over the issue of campaign finance reform.
“It’s just that important for the integrity of our political system,” he said.
In a 5-4 decision earlier this year, the Supreme Court lifted the limits on contributions for campaign advertising by corporations, business groups, unions and trade associations. Without new legislation to enforce transparency, powerful special interests like Big Oil, Wall Street firms and even foreign interests could funnel unlimited amounts of money to fund shadow campaign ads and manipulate the outcome of elections.
Jim supports the Disclose Act because he is concerned that the Supreme Court's decision could drown out the voices of individual Americans in the electoral process. “The Supreme Court's decision to allow unlimited third-party political advertising practically hangs a ‘For Sale’ sign on the U.S. Capitol, giving corporations, shadowy interest groups, and unions permission to spend limitless amounts to influence elections," Himes has said. "This decision undermines the voice of the individual constituents I represent. We need to return to a system of one person--one vote, but this pushes us in the direction of one dollar--one vote.”
To counter such unregulated corporate influence over elections, the Disclose Act would address seven key points:
- Enhance
Disclaimers
Make CEOs and other leaders take responsibility for their ads. -
Enhance Disclosures
It is time to follow the money. - Prevent Foreign Influence
Foreign countries and entities should not be determining the outcome of our elections. - Shareholder/Member Disclosure
We should allow shareholders and members to know where money goes. - Prevent Government Contractors from Spending
Taxpayer money should not be spent on political ads. - Provide the Lowest Unit Rate for Candidates and Parties
Special interests should not drown out the voices of the people. - Tighten Coordination Rules
Corporations should not be able to “sponsor” a candidate.
The Disclose Act is H.R. 5175. The bill may be brought up for a vote in the House after the Memorial Day recess.
