Senate Republicans showed strength in their numbers on Tuesday night, when the minority party blocked Democratic efforts to limit debate on legislation known as the DISCLOSE Act. The DISCLOSE, a bill that would place strict disclosure requirements on political campaign donations for ads given by corporations, unions and other organizations.
The bill, authored by Senator Chuck Schumer, New York Democrat, was drafted following the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Citizen’s United v. Federal Election Committee case.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, said on the Senate floor Tuesday, “Let’s be perfectly clear: this bill is not what its supporters say it is. It is not an effort to promote transparency. It is not a response to the Supreme
Court’s ruling in Citizens United — which has now been the law of the land for seven months and which, contrary to the breathless warnings of some, has not caused the world to stop turning on its axis.”
Mr McConnell ,along with other Republicans, well aware that the passage of the DISCLOSE Act would mean that the law would go into effect 30 days after it was enacted, pointed to the fact that after the passage of BCRA (AKA McCain Feingold campaign finance law), it went into effect after the 2002 midterm elections.
Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, supported the bill, but for the sake of Senate rules and procedure, he voted against the motion to limit debate, so he could bring the bill back to the floor again.
It is likely this is not the last Capitol Hill has seen of the DISCLOSE Act, and Senator Schumer will probably be the one pushing it again.
