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JULY 28, 2010 ARCHIVED STORIES:
WASHINGTON (BP)--A campaign finance bill that many pro-family groups say would limit their ability to get their message out and possibly lead to the intimidation of donors was blocked in the Senate July 27 when Democrats failed to get any Republicans to support it.
The White House-backed DISCLOSE Act needed 60 votes to overcome a filibuster but got only 57, although it technically was only one vote short. Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I.-Conn., was absent and said he would have voted "yes," and Majority Leader Harry Reid, D.-Nev., switched his vote to "no" at the last minute in a procedural tactic that will allow him to bring the bill up again. All 40 Republicans who were present voted against it, with one Republican -- Sen. John Ensign, R.-Nev. -- being absent. A similar version of the bill had passed the House, 219-206.
A host of pro-life and pro-family groups opposed it, including the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, Family Research Council Action, National Right to Life, Focus on the Family's Citizenlink and the National Organization for Marriage. On the left side of the spectrum, the Americans Civil Liberties Union also was opposed. The bill would apply not only to nonprofits but also to corporations, and its supporters said it was intended to shine more light on campaign ad spending.
If passed and signed by President Obama, it would have gone into effect this year, impacting this election cycle. The day before the vote, Obama urged its passage, saying it was needed to limit the power of "shadow groups" who buy millions of dollars of ads and hide behind names such as "Citizens for a Better Future" even if, he said, "a more accurate name" would be "Companies for Weaker Oversight."
"A vote to oppose these reforms is nothing less than a vote to allow corporate and special interest takeovers of our elections," Obama said. "It is damaging to our democracy."
But Tom McClusky, senior vice president of Family Research Council Action, called the filibuster a "victory for free speech."
"Instead of addressing the problems often found in the financing of campaigns, the DISCLOSE Act would add to the already onerous burdens placed on organizations that act within the law ..." Read More
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