FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 16, 2012
Contact: Maggie Kao, 202-675-2384
Sierra Club Supports DISCLOSE Act
Washington, D.C. – In advance of an expected vote in the U.S. Senate on Monday, Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune released the following statement in support of the Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections (DISCLOSE) Act:
“For anyone who’s watching television, reading the paper or listening to the radio today, there seems to be an endless stream of political ads and talking heads paid by new, creatively named and anonymously funded organizations and Super PACs. It’s also no secret that our nation’s political discourse has hit an all-time low while the mud-slinging and flat out lies are at an all-time high.
“With our political system so polluted by unlimited corporate cash, it's no surprise that Americans are becoming increasingly alarmed. Our nation faces a jobs crisis and a destabilizing climate. It's time for our political system to be at it's best and most functional. Instead, we have a democracy under siege. We must fix this.
“That’s why the Sierra Club supports the DISCLOSE Act, which is aimed at establishing transparency in election spending and money in politics. While the principles behind the bill are sound, DISCLOSE, as written today, is not perfect. We’re troubled by the bills many broad strokes and ham-fisted categorizations which lump the Sierra Club with Karl Rove’s Crossroads GPS. In fact, the legislation would harm the Sierra Club’s standing as an active player in elections, voter engagement and the legislative process.
“Nevertheless, the consequences of inaction are too great. The Sierra Club urges the Senate to pass DISCLOSE for the sake of our democracy and as a critical first step towards cleaning up our election process.”
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