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Tell the Senate to go digital

Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) opposes legislation to join all other federal candidates by requiring that all senate candidates file their campaign finance reports electronically – the latest version of the bill, S. 482, is sponsored by Sen. Russell Feingold (D-Wisc.) – unless it is tied to a vote on his unrelated amendment.

Roberts wants to require nonprofit organizations to disclose all of their donors who give $5,000 or more as a condition for filing ethics complaints against senators. This is nothing more than a “poison pill” amendment designed to cloud the issue and prevent passage of electronic filing legislation.

The proposed Roberts Amendment has absolutely nothing to do with electronic disclosure of campaign finance contributions. Roberts is simply carrying the water for Republican leaders in the senate, primarily Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who opposes full and timely disclosure of money in politics. S. 482 would provide voters with relevant information allowing them to hold Senate candidates accountable.

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