House Approves Legislation That Mandates the Disclosure of Political Spending By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN Published: June 24, 2010 NY Times...
>>>House Approves Legislation That Mandates the Disclosure of Political Spending By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN Published: June 24, 2010 NY Times
WASHINGTON — The House on Thursday approved legislation to curtail the ability of corporations and other special interest groups to influence elections by requiring greater disclosure of their role in paying for campaign advertising.
The bill is intended to counter a Supreme Court ruling in January that the federal government may not ban political spending by corporations and other advocacy groups, like labor unions. The ruling overturned two precedents, including a 1990 ruling that upheld restrictions on political spending by corporations.
The vote was 219 to 206, with just two Republicans joining Democrats in favor. Opposed were 170 Republicans and 36 Democrats. Republican leaders assailed the bill as an infringement on free speech and the First Amendment, and its chances are shaky in the Senate.
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