Dear Neighbors,
As this election year progresses, your television screens will undoubtedly light up over the next several weeks and months with political advertisements supporting or opposing candidates for President of the United States. Residents in competitive legislative districts report their mailboxes being filled in the summer and fall with a deluge of fancy, colorful mail pieces either celebrating or decrying the presidential, congressional, and state legislative candidates. While these glossy mail pieces often attempt to sway elections by mentioning candidates by name, we often don’t know who actually paid for them.
Campaign integrity and transparency is important to the health of our democracy. That’s why I am co-authoring the DISCLOSE Act which will seek to amend the Minnesota Constitution through a voter approved process, and finally provide some transparency for the sources of dark money in Minnesota campaigns. The DISCLOSE Act – which stands for Democracy is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections – is a simple but important reform of Minnesota’s campaign finance system which eliminates a loophole that exempts political groups from reporting spending on “issue based” communications, even if they advocate for or against a candidate.
The 2010 Citizens United decision from the U.S. Supreme Court enabled corporations to spend limitless amounts of money on political advocacy, and Minnesotans have been inundated by outside spending in campaigns. The sources of much of this money funneled into Super PACs (Political Action Committees) and other groups have evaded disclosure and scrutiny.
If a majority of both the House and Senate approve of this measure during the 2016 legislative session, the amendment will appear on the ballot for consideration during this November’s general election.
Well-funded corporate special interests and their allies in the Legislature have been able to successfully block these types of reforms every time they have been introduced. The DISCLOSE Act won’t stop these type of mail and television expenditures, but it will provide sunshine on who is paying for them. Voters have a right to know whose bank accounts are behind political communications, and I am certain Minnesotans will show broad support for this initiative at the ballot box.
If these questions of big money in political campaigns continue to go unaddressed, and corporate special interests are able to halt meaningful reform and transparency, citizens will continue to lose faith in our democracy. I hope the option to adopt this common sense reform can be given to Minnesota voters so light can be shed on the millions of dollars used to fill our mailboxes and airwaves every election year.
If you have questions about the DISCLOSE Act or any other issues, please contact me anytime at rep.lyndon.carlson@house.mn or 651-296-4255.
Sincerely,
Lyndon Carlson
State Representative