Bipartisan Bill Re-Introduced to Increase Transparency and Accountability of Political Spending

U.S. Representatives Kathleen Rice (D-NY), Mike Gallagher (R-WI), and Derek Kilmer (D-WA) re-introduced The Political Accountability and Transparency Act (PATA), H.R. 679, a bipartisan bill to addresses the abuses of campaign finance law that have become increasingly common in federal elections. Campaign Legal Center (CLC) advised the House offices on language for the bill.

CLC’s new issue brief describes how PATA would attend to pressing democracy issues like single-candidate super PACs and digital disclosure loopholes.

“Strengthening the law requiring independence of candidates from outside groups is critical to loosening the influence that megadonors who fund super PACs hold over candidates and officeholders,” said Trevor Potter, President of the Campaign Legal Center, and a former Republican Chairman of the Federal Election Commission. “Similarly, increasing political spending transparency and stopping politicians from using leadership PACs as slush funds are broadly popular bipartisan reforms. Voters have a right to know who is bankrolling campaign ads. And it would seem obvious that lawmakers shouldn’t be using donors’ PAC money to fund golf memberships, trips to five-star resorts, and Disney World vacations.”