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WASHINGTON, D.C.— Congressman Steve Kagen, M.D. released the following statement today [June 18] in defense of the National Rifle Association against attacks by both liberal and conservative political groups that are targeting the NRA due to its support of the new campaign finance legislation known as the DISCLOSE Act.

“The DISCLOSE Act will help guarantee that our elections remain honest and transparent by making it illegal for pretend organizations and large Wall Street-run corporations with hidden agendas to control or influence our political elections. The NRA is not a pretend organization; it is a people-powered, grassroots group of faithful supporters of the Second Amendment, including thousands of hard-working people I have the honor of representing across Northeast Wisconsin. The NRA and its members deserve to have their voices heard in our elections.”

“Some groups may not agree with NRA positions, but they should admire its long history of people-powered organizing. I appreciate the difference between a group like the NRA with four million members, and fake groups created and run by Wall Street corporations so they can spend $4 million hijacking our elections.

“This bill is not about favoring one organization over another – it’s about returning our democracy to the people.”

The untold story is that Democrats assuaged organized labor’s early opposition to the bill by tailoring its provisions to eke out space for unions.

For example, restrictions on companies that received government bailouts during the financial crisis apply to businesses, but not unions: Under the DISCLOSE Act, General Motors can’t tell you who to vote for, but the United Auto Workers union can.

…. Insiders say the bill was primarily driven by the White House, with Van Hollen and Sen. Charles Schumer, the New York Democrat, spearheading the effort on Capitol Hill. In private conversations, House Administration Committee Chairman Brady revealed that even he was being kept in the dark as the White House, Van Hollen and Schumer crafted the bill. One thing Brady did know was that organized labor was part of the talks, which he repeatedly mentioned in hearings about the bill.

… we are inclined to support the DISCLOSE (Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light on Elections) Act, which was initially written to add transparency to the process by requiring corporations to reveal details of their election contributions and spending.

Unfortunately, in their rush to gain support for the DISCLOSE Act, congressional Democrats forged a compromise that allows the National Rifle Association and some other large groups to avoid the disclosure requirements.

Why? Because the Democrats feared that NRA opposition might block the bill’s progress, even within the Democratic caucus.

The NRA is powerful, to be sure. But, as WISPIRG’s Johanna Lathrop notes, the deal with the NRA has driven the reform legislation “seriously off track”:

“The irony is obvious -- a bill with the initial purpose of disclosing corporate contributions to elections now exempts from disclosure ... a small set of the nation’s biggest spenders in American elections,” notes a WISPIRG analysis.

…. “The nature of the exemption creates a special status that makes the nation’s largest and most powerful organizations disclosure havens and political superpowers.”

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