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Advocacy Blog
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
FEC Upholds Disclaimer Requirement
According to BNA Money and Politics ($$),"it would be practically impossible" for the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to complete a new rule on the disclosure of bundled campaign contributions from lobbyists in time to affect the 2008 election.
Chairman Donald McGahn said, "simple math dictated that there are not enough days left in the 2008 campaign season for the so-called bundling rule to be completed in time. Even if the FEC promptly finished the rulemaking process, the law that calls for bundling disclosure requires a three-month period before a new rule could actually go into effect." Under the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act, the FEC is required to write a new rule on bundling, the disclosure of campaign money that is collected by a lobbyist from other contributors and passed along to a candidate.
On Monday the FEC approved two advisory opinions (AO), including one ruling that the Club for Growth Political Action Committee (CFG PAC) must include "stand by your ad" disclaimer, including 10- to 15-second television commercials. The Campaign Legal Center has publicly voiced their approval with the FEC's unanimous decision.
The FEC press release states; "The Commission determined that CFG PAC's ads were public communications subject to the Act's [Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act] disclaimer requirements, and spoken disclaimers could not be omitted. In discussion, Chairman McGahn noted that this AO only concerns non-candidate ads."
Meanwhile, the Center for Competitive Politics criticized the decision. "The redundant 'stand by your ad' requirements needlessly reduce the amount of time that citizen groups can spend communicating with their fellow citizens. [. . .] Instead of substantive political messages like 'no taxation without representation' citizens are left to hear that the organization paying for the ad, in fact, approves of it."
The commissioners also approved a new expedited meeting schedule that includes at least three meetings in September, as opposed to the normal once a month meeting.
Posted by Amanda Adams
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