Editorial: Party should adhere to disclosure laws

Friday, Aug. 16, 2002 | 9:25 a.m.

Independent American Party candidates in Nevada's local and statewide races this year say they won't comply with state laws that require all candidates to fill out financial disclosure statements and campaign contribution reports. The far-right party contends that the disclosure laws are unconstitutional and an invasion of privacy that discourages potential contributors from donating to third parties.

But the contention that third-party candidates are hurt more than the major parties is nonsense. The disclosure requirements apply equally to all political parties. A better explanation for why the party may have a hard time gathering donations is because not enough people agree with its political philosophy.

Besides, our democratic form of government benefits greatly when voters know what individuals, businesses, unions or other groups have donated to candidates. Without disclosure, we wouldn't know if a company or labor organization has loaded up on a candidate, contributions that may have an impact on how they vote in office if elected. And the financial disclosure statement can help the public determine if the politicians have any potential conflicts of interest.

If there is one lesson we've learned from the latest corporate scandals, it is how important transparency is to making sure businesses don't hide shady investments from shareholders. In the same respect, we deserve to know who is donating to candidates, how much they're receiving and what the candidates' financial holdings are. It also is disclosure laws such as these that discourage political corruption.