GOP Makes Last-Minute Bid to Derail anti-free speech ‘Disclose’ Act

June 15, 2010 06:34


Republicans are mounting a last ditch-effort to stop Democrats from pushing through a controversial bill intended to roll back a recent Supreme Court decision by restricting companies’ and associations’ political advertising. More than 50 groups have signed a letter to Congress calling the bill “an unequivocal ban on free speech, masquerading as an exercise in accountability.”

By: David A. Patten at Newsmax.com

Republicans are mounting a last ditch-effort to stop Democrats from pushing through a controversial bill intended to rollback a recent Supreme Court decision by restricting companies’ and associations’ political advertising.

Euphemistically called the Democracy is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Election (Disclose) Act, the bill is expected to come to the House floor as early as Wednesday.

On Monday, Democratic leaders cleared the bill’s way by cutting a deal with the NRA, exempting the massive gun-rights organization from the Act’s requirements. Democrats in moderate districts were wary of crossing the NRA by trying to limit its campaign ads.

Democratic leaders are now confident they can push the bill, H.R. 5175, through the House without difficulty. Americans for Tax Reform founder Grover Norquist, who opposes the Act, says House Republicans probably can’t stop it.

“It will pass the House,” he tells Newsmax, “but it probably won’t pass the Senate.”

Americans for Tax Reform and over 50 other groups, including The American Conservative Union, CatholicVote.org, the Center for Competitive Politics, and Citizens Against Government Waste, have sent a letter to Congress calling the bill “an unequivocal ban on free speech, masquerading as an exercise in accountability.”

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