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Dems Float a Response to Citizens United

Two Senate Democrats have unveiled their plan to blunt the effect of the Citizens United ruling.  Their proposal nibbles around the edge of the decision in several significant ways.

The plan, written by Senators Chuck Schumer (NY) and Chris Van Hollen (MD) has a few key components.  The two parts most likely to stir up debate are a requirement that corporate CEO’s and union leaders appear in each ad, approving its contents, as is already required of candidates, and a requirement that in any market where a corporate purchased ad is run on television, the network offer reasonable air time and the lowest advertising rate offered by the network to candidates in the race.

The Schumer/Van Hollen plan also requires public disclosure of corporate expenditures with a clear link to such advocacy on corporate web pages and quarterly disclosures to shareholders.

joshua: