Buddy Roemer on What Congress Can Do About Citizens United

In this NPR interview there was this exchange:

ROEMER: Oh, no. They said that direct contributions to presidents and congressmen can be regulated, both in terms of disclosure and limits.

BLOCK: Sure, but in terms of superPACs…

ROEMER: But they said superPACs, if they are truly independent. Now, do you think that any of these superPACs are uncoordinated and independent? Of course not; they’re in clear violation of the law. Now, I think Mitt Romney went to the fundraiser for his superPAC. Is that coordination? Of course, it is. And the use of Citizens United as an excuse is wrong.

Congress has the power to act now. They can regulate superPACs. They can make PAC contribution equal to individual contributions. They can require 48-hour reporting. They can require full disclosure. They can require that lobbyists either lobby or raise money, you can’t do both. Congress can do this right now.

On Roemer’s first point, Congress did enact a limit on PACs—in1974.  It is still on the books ,but cannot be enforced against PACs spending independently thanks to the SpeechNow case, relying on Citizens United.

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