Filibusters for the Big Money

When the Supreme Court opened the gates to unlimited corporate spending in federal elections, one of the most alarmed lawmakers, Senator Olympia Snowe, called it a “serious disservice to our country.” Snowe, a Republican from Maine, warned that decades of legitimate restraints on “the pernicious effect of undue corporate and labor union spending” had been swept aside.

So we hope that Ms. Snowe shuns her party’s diktat and supports legislation that would require corporate and special-interest contributors to identify themselves on their campaign ads, the same way candidates must. And maybe she could bring other Republicans with her.

Ms. Snowe noted in January that the misguided Citizens United court decision did uphold disclosure, a tool she fostered in campaign law. The disclosure bill has passed the House and may come up in the Senate this week. But if it is to become law, Senate Democrats will need Republican supporters to break an expected filibuster by the minority leader, Mitch McConnell.

Yes, the same Mitch McConnell who used to speak highly of disclosure as a control on campaign abuse.



Filibusters for the Big Money