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Thursday, June 24, 2010
12:21 PM EDT
Christopher Prandoni

Dennis Kucinich Looks to Amend DISCLOSE ACT to Silence Energy Companies

[PDF Document]

Dennis Kucinich’s proposed Amendment #23, reveals a persistent anti-corporation bias in the DISCLOSE Act. Amendment #23 would bar companies that hold Outer Continental Shelf permits from engaging in express advocacy, urging voters to support a candidate by name.

The specific language of Kucinich’s amendment:

“[companies]who enters into negotiations for a lease for exploration  for development and production of oil and gas  under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, during this period... directly or indirectly to make any contributions of money or other things of value, or to promise expressly to impliedly to make any such contribution to any political party, committee, or candidate for public office or to any person for any political purpose, to make any independent expenditure, or to disburse any funds for an electioneering  communication”

As it stands today, companies interested in developing oil reserves off America’s coast must buy permits from the federal government, which owns the territory. In what amounts to a clear infringement of the first amendment, Amendment #23 would effectively shut out every oil company from political advocacy.

The partiality shown in Kucinich’s amendment is indicative of the DISCLOSE Act.

For these reasons and more, the Americans for Tax Reform urges all members to vote “no” on H.R. 5175, the DISCLOSE Act and Rep Kucinich’s Amendment #23

For more information, contact ATR federal affairs manager Brian Johnson at bjohnson@atr.org or 202.785.0266.

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