Snowe, Collins Side With GOP On Campaign Cash
AUGUSTA, ME -- Despite expressing support for similar measures in the past, Maine's two Republican senators voted with their party colleagues Tuesday to oppose beginning debate on a campaign finance reform measure, stopping it in its tracks.
U.S. Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins both said the legislation, known as the Disclose Act, treats large politically active groups, such as unions and corporations, with two different sets of rules.
The measure was drafted following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in January that struck restrictions on political advertising that were included in a 2002 campaign finance law known as McCain-Feingold. Both Snowe and Collins voted in support of that law. The court ruling means corporations and other special interest groups can make unlimited donations of money for campaign advertising.
"Under the Disclose Act, unions are exempt from certain disclosure and disclaimer requirements, but these same requirements are imposed on companies," Snowe said in a statement. "And, the bill does not apply to corporations that own media outlets, which would allow certain large corporations to enjoy unrestricted speech."
Collins, a co-sponsor of the McCain-Feingold campaign reform law, said she was disappointed that the U.S. Supreme Court struck down so many key provisions of that bipartisan law, but called the new legislation a "partisan proposal."
Collins, a co-sponsor of the McCain-Feingold campaign reform law, said she was disappointed that the U.S. Supreme Court struck down so many key provisions of that bipartisan law, but called the new legislation a "partisan proposal."
"Americans have the right to know who is contributing to political campaigns," Collins said in a statement. "Unfortunately, the Senate Majority Leader chose to bring forward a bill that doesn't live up to its title. The bill would provide a clear and unfair advantage to unions, while either shutting other organizations out of the election process or subjecting them to onerous reporting requirements that would not apply to unions."
Collins said a defense contractor would not be able to finance independent campaign expenditures, but the union representing the contractor's workforce would be able to do so.
Both senators also called the measure unconstitutional.
A recent poll showed that 85 percent of Mainers support increased campaign financial disclosure and transparency and some local activists say they hope Snowe and Collins seek to find compromise with Democrats on the issue.
"The League of Women Voters is very disappointed that this isn't coming before the Senate at this time and we hope that after the recess that our senators will work to bring about a bipartisan agreement," said Barbara McDade, president of the League of Women Voters of Maine. "Without this critical legislation corporations, unions and other organizations can make secret, unlimited political expenditures for campaign ads. We don't think that's the direction we should be taking in this country."
Alison Smith, co-chairwoman of the group Maine Citizens for Clean Elections, said the group had not taken an official position on the legislation.
"We have not had consensus on the Disclose Act," Smith said. She said the details of the legislation were not settled at the time of her group's last board meeting, but it would be discussed during their next one, scheduled for Friday.
