Merkley: Rejection of DISCLOSE Act is an Assault on Democracy

Statement

Today, Senate Republicans voted to block Senate debate of the DISCLOSE Act, allowing unlimited secret funding of campaign advertisements by corporations. Senator Merkley, an original co-sponsor of the DISCLOSE Act, released the following statement after the vote:

"Today's rejection of the DISCLOSE Act is a dagger aimed at the heart of democracy. My Republican colleagues chose today to reject a bill that has two important objectives: ending secret campaign expenditures by corporations through common-sense disclosure requirements; and ending the corrupting practice of "pay-to-play" campaign donations by government contractors.

"In the Gettysburg Address, President Lincoln recognized that America was a nation built "of the people, by the people, for the people.' However, America will be neither of the people, by the people, nor for the people if corporations -- including foreign companies and giant government contractors -- are able to hijack our electoral process by sinking millions of dollars into attack ads against any candidate or legislator who dares to put the public interest ahead of a company's private interests."

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