Editorial: Shadowy groups to face sunshine

Thursday, June 29, 2000 | 9:29 a.m.

In recent years the key stumbling block to passage of campaign finance reform has been the opposition by the GOP leadership in Congress. But rank-and-file Republicans in both houses have joined with Democrats to back a limited campaign finance reform bill. This week the Senate and the House resoundingly voted to pass legislation that would require an increasing number of secretive, tax exempt groups to finally disclose who is paying for their television ads and other political activities.

A loophole in the tax code has allowed some nonprofit groups to run so-called "issue ads" as long as they don't directly advocate the election or defeat of a specific candidate. While the ads may not come right out and say "vote for candidate X," they do influence elections since they condemn or praise the candidates' stands on issues.

This legislation will not infringe on political speech; all it does is require that someone who wishes to influence an election identify who is paying for the ad. Nothing more, nothing less. This legislation is a step in the right direction that could provide the needed momentum to pass other sensible campaign finance reforms.

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