Senate to vote on the Disclose Act focused on ‘dark’ money in campaigns

SALEM, Ore. — President Joe Biden spoke on Tuesday
about the need for Congress to pass the Disclose Act.

The legislation would require super PACs and other groups to
disclose anyone who contributes more than $10,000 during an election.

Foreign entities would also be banned from making donations
of any kind.

Senator Jeff Merkley has been a proponent of getting dark
money out of politics.

Wednesday, he spoke of its growing influence.

“We’ve seen the funding for political activities in
dark money category go from a couple million dollars some 12 years ago… to
today, we’re talking about hundreds of millions of dollars,” Merkley said,
“and we just saw a $1.6 billion donation from a single person to be
directed into a dark money strategy.”

Senator Merkley would also like to see an end to
gerrymandering and protection of the ballot box as ways to further safeguard
elections.

The Senate is expected to vote on the bill this week after
House democrats approved it.