We need to pass the DISCLOSE Act in Congress to reveal all Dark money

July 14, 2022

Senate Rules Committee will hear the DISCLOSE Act on July 19

The 3:00 pm hearing (watch here) is the latest in a 12-year effort to bar dark money and foreign money from our federal elections, starting from when then-Representative Chris Van Hollen wrote the bill in 2010 and got the House to pass it. That year, it came one vote short of overcoming the Republican filibuster. Subsequently it was included in omnibus acts and passed by the House of Representatives several times. Last January, it again was part of the Freedom to Vote Act, which failed when a Democratic Party bid to avoid the filibuster rule lost by two votes.

Here are two recent polls that show how popular this kind of legislation is.

October 2021, a Navigator Research poll shows that 85% support “requiring super PACs and all ‘dark money’ groups to make their donors public.” Disclosure was the second most popular reform among 12 proposals tested.
November 2019, the Campaign Legal Center poll found: “A majority of voters rate ‘corruption in the political system’ as the most serious problem facing the country, even more serious than rising healthcare costs.” More than four-out-of-five (83%) of voters supported publicly disclosing contributions to organizations involved in elections, with a majority of 56% strongly in support.

Please do your part

There are many issues vying for attention. Both of our Maryland senators have stated their support of the DISCLOSE Act, but we need to remind them how important it is to follow through with the floor action. Please make these two very brief phone calls. Thank you!

Ben Cardin (202) 224-4524: Thank you for your support for the DISCLOSE Act. Please urge Leader Schumer to bring it to the Senate floor.

Chris Van Hollen (202) 224-4654: Thank you for your leadership on the DISCLOSE Act. Please urge Leader Schumer to bring it to the Senate floor.

For the People-MD Teleconference
Monday, July 18, 7:30 pm Two ways to join the conference
1) Dial 1 301 715 8592, meeting ID: 931 3066 2622. The password is 173976.
2) Click on your device if you have downloaded the app from Zo om.Meeting Agenda
Further develop action plans to support the DISCLOSE Act