Joe Sestak Votes for Transparency Over Special-Interest Influence

By SESTAK FOR SENATE

MEDIA, PA – Today, U.S. Senate candidate Joe Sestak voted for the DISCLOSE Act, H.R. 5175, to demand greater transparency and accountability for election expenditures by corporations and special-interest groups, which passed the House 219 to 206. This legislation comes partly as a response to the Supreme Court ruling Citizens United v. The Federal Election Commission, which allowed corporations and unions to spend unlimited amounts of money from their general treasuries in elections. While the bill does take a step in the right direction, Joe voiced strong opposition to, and voted against, an amendment that provides an exemption for the largest interest groups from the bill’s new disclosure requirements.

“We need to curb the power of special interests in Washington; the Citizens United ruling cut them a blank check,” Joe said. “It lets lobbying groups and corporations pour unlimited millions into the electoral process with no oversight and no accountability. If we are to win our democracy back from the influence of special-interest money, this bill must be the first step to a fair campaign financing system – definitely not the last.

“I strongly opposed and voted against the loophole to exempt the biggest and most powerful interest groups from accountability. The lines in this fight could not be clearer: Stand with special interests, like the oil companies, that have the money to manipulate elections, or stand with the American people who are tired of having their voices drowned out and their interests overlooked. I’m disappointed that the Democratic Party was not eager to take that fight head-on. However, I voted for the final bill because it is critical that we make progress as we work toward a comprehensive solution to the influence of money in our democratic process.

“The American people want transparency and accountability from their public servants. They want practical solutions, not more special-interest politics.”

“It’s no surprise that Congressman Toomey supports the Citizens United ruling and opposes basic transparency for special interests,” said campaign spokesman Jonathon Dworkin. “After all, Congressman Toomey spent years on Wall Street, then ran his own Washington special-interest group that favored big banks and corporations. When you believe, as Congressman Toomey does, that the interests of the powerful elite are more important than those of working people, you would naturally prefer to have lobbyists, special interests, and corporate cash determine elections.”

To increase transparency and accountability in our democratic process after the Citizens United ruling, Joe Sestak introduced the Fairness in Corporate Campaign Spending Act of 2010 (H.R. 4644), which would prohibit a corporation from spending company money on elections without obtaining the prior approval of a majority of its shareholders, the true owners of the companies, rather than allowing corporate CEOs to decide how to direct millions of dollars to their preferred candidates. This legislation, along with the DISCLOSE Act, must represent interim steps on a path to a system of public financing. Joe is also a co-sponsor of The Fair Elections Now Act (H.R. 1826), which would create a voluntary public campaign finance system to provide a 4-to-1 public-funding match on donations of $100 or less.

In addition to having no special exemption for the most powerful organizations, Joe Sestak has called for a stronger DISCLOSE Act that would require reporting all donors to organizations making campaign expenditures, not just those who contribute more than $600.

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