FEC To Allow Corporation and Union Issue Ads
The Federal Election Commission adopted rules on Tuesday that permit issue advertisements placed by corporations and unions in the run up to an election to mention a political candidate so long as the ad does not mention an "election, political party or an opposing candidate, or take a stand on a candidate's character, qualifications or fitness for office," the Associated Press reported. The Commission also voted to require public disclosure when an advertisement has been paid for by a corporation or union.
The FEC's ruling allowing issue advertisements in the days preceding an election was prompted by the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Wisconsin Right to Life, which overturned a provision of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 that had prohibited corporations and unions from running any ad mentioning a candidate's name within 30 days of a primary or 60 days of a general election (case summary, ACS briefing) as violating the First Amendment.
Rick Hasen, professor at Loyola Law School, explores the effects of the rule change in a blog post entitled "Corporate Funded Sham Issue Advocacy Will Soon Hit Election 2008."
For general information on voting and democracy, follow the link to ACS' Issue Group.