Conservative Leaders Step Up Fight on Disclosing Advocacy-Group Donors

Conservative leaders who once argued that restrictions on political spending should be removed as long as campaign finance is transparent are now fighting efforts to require advocacy groups that engage in electioneering to reveal their donors, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Since the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United ruling lifted limits on corporate political spending, leaders on the right such as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Republican strategist Karl Rove have stepped up arguments that disclosure would lead to harassment of donors by liberal organizations.

Bradley Smith, a Republican ex-chairman of the Federal Communications Commission who in 2003 endorsed publicizing contributions to discourage corruption and conflicts of interest, also now opposes disclosure. A group of conservative legal foundations have sued to block disclosure requirements.

Campaign spending by 501(c)(4) advocacy groups such as Mr. Rove’s Crossroads GPS has exploded since the Citizens United ruling, fueling calls by watchdog groups to institute disclosure requirements and tighten Internal Revenue Service rules on political activity by nonprofits.