MacNamara responds to Senator Brown's letter in opposition to DISCLOSE Act

LEAGUE DISAPPOINTED BY SENATOR BROWN'S STATEMENT ON DISCLOSE ACT
'Same Old Washington Excuses'

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The League of Women Voters of the U.S. and the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts today made the following statement in response to Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown’s letter stating his opposition to the DISCLOSE Act, an important campaign finance bill that aims to restore transparency to U.S. elections after the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision.

“It is very disappointing that Senator Brown is repeating the same old Washington excuses after just a few months in office,” said Elisabeth MacNamara, national president of the League of Women Voters.

“He says the legislation takes effect too soon, even though the greatest need is for the public and the voters to be informed about special interest influence in this election, now. Why would we wait, when the Supreme Court has endorsed disclosure? What’s more, the legislation simply responds to the changing of the rules that the Supreme Court decision imposed just a few months ago, after the election season had already started. 

“He says the legislation gives special advantages to one special interest or another. Why is Senator Brown interested at all in protecting one special interest or another? In fact, the bill is fair, and goes as far as it can to require full transparency as soon as possible.

“He says the legislation is partisan. This is the oldest dodge in Washington. As a non-partisan group, we in the League of Women Voters say that this bill is not partisan and requires disclosure fairly from all.”

“We understand the difficult position in which Senator Brown finds himself,” said Marcia Hirshberg, president of the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts. “His leaders in Washington are opposed to transparency, but he campaigned with the people of Massachusetts as a different kind of politician. He can’t represent both the old ways of Washington and the new spirit of government responsibility and transparency.”

“We trust that Senator Brown will eventually make the right choice on this legislation and support fair transparency in government, despite his statement today justifying the old, special-interest ways of doing business,” said MacNamara and Hirshberg.

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The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.