An emergency rule approved by the state’s Government Accountability Board Monday will require private groups to reveal how much they spend on political advertisements.
Mike McCabe of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign says it’s a step forward, since it will provide some disclosure about spending and funding from corporations and other private groups. However, he says it falls somewhat short because the Board can’t require full disclosure of where all funding is coming from.
The board’s action is an attempt to counter-act a recent US Supreme Court ruling that lifted restrictions on corporate and union campaign spending. Still, McCabe says loopholes exist because groups won’t have to disclose all funding sources. As a result, he says donations will likely go into general funds of groups and then be transferred into election accounts.
McCabe says full disclosure of who is funding outside campaign ads will require action from the Legislature. He says the GAB did just about everything in its power to shed some light on third party spending during an election year.
Lawmakers adjourned for the year without acting on a bill that requires groups to disclose the funding sources of campaign ads.
AUDIO: Andrew Beckett reports (1:11)
