Sen. Hollis French led the way in the disclosure legislation, which he and other lawmakers swiftly put together after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down limits on corporate funding of independent political campaigning in January. In brief, Alaska's new law requires groups to report what they're giving and what candidates or causes they support or oppose, and names and principal officers of the groups or donors; names and addresses of corporations, unions or other groups behind a campaign ad; full disclosure on any single ad of who the top contributors are, in print that's readable and/or audio that's easily understood; and a disclaimer by any candidate, if applicable, saying he or she had nothing to do with the ad.
The law also prohibits foreign nationals from contributing to Alaska campaigns.
The court's decision amplified the free-speech voices of corporations, unions and other groups, giving them the same rights as individuals. Alaska's new law at least guarantees we'll know who's bankrolling the megaphones as this year's election campaigns get louder.
BOTTOM LINE: Disclosure law essential for open campaigns.
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