Republicans put a surprise sneak law into the big, last-minute "omnibus" budget bill: It bans the administration from making companies and "charities" disclose who is putting up the baksheesh money for political campaigns. The president has to sign it or the government shuts down. The result is that the rigging of our system to work only in the interests of those with big money will get even worse.
What The Public Wants
Poll after poll shows that the public wants something done about the country's campaign finance system. Obviously just knowing who is bribing funding the politicians as they continue to rig the system against us is at the top of any list: "78 percent of Democrats and Republicans alike favoring a requirement that donor names be made public."
What The Public Gets
The public might want something done about the campaign finance bribery corruption payoff system we have, but the bribed, corrupt, paid off politicians who owe their careers (and future lucrative corporate positions) to secret, big-money contributions want it kept the way it is, or made even "darker."
After the Citizens United ruling (by justices who obtained their seats with the help of corporate and billionaire-funded efforts), Republicans filibustered to prevent the majority of the Senate from passing the Disclose Act. "The bill would have required disclosure of anyone who donates to independent groups that spent more than $10,000 on campaign ads – or their functional equivalent – and other election spending."
Blocks SEC From Requiring Corporations To Disclose
The new "omnibus" budget bill contains "riders" that block the government from doing anything to bring light to the "dark money" swamping our elections. It blocks the president and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from making corporations disclose how much they are putting into the political system, and blocks the Internal Revenue Service from making nonprofits disclose which billionaires are putting money into the political system.
The Wall Street Journal has the story about the budget bill banning the administration from requiring corporations to disclose their political contributions, in "Deal Restricts SEC From Requiring Disclosure of Corporate Political Contributions":
If signed into law, the provision would prevent the SEC from using funds authorized by the bill to “finalize, issue, or implement" a rule on disclosure of political contributions, or contributions to trade associations and other tax-exempt organizations, according to text of the bill posted early Wednesday.
However, if the President does not sign the bill, the government will shut down.
But wait, there's more. Zach Carter reports at the Huffington Post, in "Congress Is About To Make Citizens United Even Worse":
Another rider attached to the budget bans President Obama from issuing an executive order requiring government contractors to disclose their political spending, including donations to nonprofit groups engaged in elections, as a condition of submitting a bid. As HuffPost has previously reported, this does keep alive the prospect of an executive order mandating disclosure from contractors after they have secured their contract.
That's right. Thanks to Republican "riders" in this budget bill, corporations do not have to disclose who they are paying to get tax breaks, subsidies, etc., and don't even have to disclose payments they make to help them get contracts with the government.
Blocks IRS From Requiring Non-Profit Charities To Disclose
The Washington Post has the story about how this affects non-profit "charities" that are used to hide donors, in "Congress’ budget deal halts political disclosure efforts":
The omnibus legislation would prohibit the Internal Revenue Service from using any federal funds in the coming fiscal year to revise or issue new rules governing the political spending of tax-exempt advocacy groups. The measure would effectively halt a two-year-long attempt by the IRS to set a clear limit on how much money such nonprofit groups, setup under Section 501(c)(4) of the tax code, can spend on politics.
The Post notes "a 1959 regulation that states that such groups must not be engaged in political activity, as they are meant to be 'primarily engaged in promoting in some way the common good and general welfare of the people of the community.'" Except now they can.
The Journal fills this in a bit more, in "Spending Deal Preserves Nonprofits’ Ability to Spend Campaign Cash in Secret":
Under the new legislation, the IRS cannot use federal funds in fiscal year 2016 to “issue, revise or finalize” any rules about how tax-exempt 501(c)(4) organizations can spend money to influence elections. Since 2013, the Obama administration has beenseeking to rein in the influence of such groups in elections by creating rules to restrict their spending on campaign-related activities.
Recent elections have seen an explosion in spending by nonprofit groups, such as the conservative heavyweight Crossroads GPS. The 2016 election is unusual in the volume of nonprofits that are spending millions to benefit specific candidates in the primary.
... Unlike super PACs, 501(c)(4)s are not required to disclose their donors, and most won’t have to file any IRS disclosure reports concerning their operations and spending until after the general election next year.
So, thanks to Republican "riders" in this budget bill, the IRS is not allowed to enforce laws already on the books against political activity by non-profits, and can't even make them disclose who is funding that activity.
Pubic Citizen Reaction
The Post story has Public Citizen's reaction:
“It’s outrageous that lawmakers are interfering with the most modest measures to increase disclosure of political spending,” Lisa Gilbert, who directs the watchdog group Public Citizen’s Congress Watch division, said in a statement. “The American people want – and deserve – to know who is trying to buy our elections.”
Democracy Spring
Note - many groups involved in the Democracy Initiative are working to plan a Spring 2016 mobilization in Washington combined with joint action in states – focused on voting rights and campaign finance reform.
"Collectively, we strive to build a 21st century democracy where the voice of every American is heard and counted with a government that is of, by, and for the people," the campaign's statement of purpose says. Note on the left side of the website where it says, "Click Here to Subscribe to our Newsletter!"
