Whether or not we agree with the message of any one ad campaign, I hope we could agree that voters have a right to know who is paying for any campaign-related ad. Unfortunately, Congress has not been able to pass this important legislation. However, we must improve disclosure of campaign spending as an important first step toward fixing the system. Our Constitution protects every American's right to be heard. Yet today, voters are faced with new-style political organizations, operating free from coverage by federal election law, that are spending millions on campaign ads without having to disclose the true identities of their donors.
Disclosure is fundamentally fair to the public, candidates and democracy in America.
We must close these loopholes now. There is no reason to delay. The 2000 general election cycle is fast approaching, and unknown political groups are expanding at a rapid pace and will be a dominant force in the 2000 election. We are on the road to doubling such expenditures this election cycle. With this storm cloud of new campaign spending on the horizon, it is vitally important that we are here today to find a way to improve our laws to include full and equal disclosure for organizations that truly engage in electioneering activity.