DISCLOSE Act would 'muzzle' pro-family groups
Allie Martin - OneNewsNow - 6/30/2010 5:00:00 AMThe American Family Association (AFA) is sounding a warning about a campaign finance bill before the U.S. Senate.

H.R. 5175, the bill is known as the "DISCLOSE Act," has been passed by the House and is expected to come up in the Senate this week.

According to Bryan Fischer, director of issue analysis for AFA, the "Democracy is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections Act" would muzzle pro-family groups.

"This is a campaign finance reform -- quote, end quote -- bill. [But] what it's going to do is...censor and muzzle the voice of pro-life and pro-family organizations leading up to both primary and general elections," Fischer explains. "But the Democrats carved out a major exception for all their union buddies. The Sierra Club has an exemption, and the AARP has an exemption."

He thinks this measure was established so liberal groups with deep pockets could produce campaign ads, while conservative groups would not be allowed to do so. He adds that the bill would not allow court challenges until after the election.

"I think they know it's unconstitutional. They know it's going to be overturned as soon as it's challenged, and that's why they worked this provision in there to keep that challenge from happening until after the November elections," the AFA issue analysis director suspects.

In an Action Alert to its supporters on Monday, AFA states it is vital for concerned voters to contact their senators and encourage them to vote against the DISCLOSE Act. If passed, the bill would go into effect 30 days after being signed into law by President Obama -- "just in time to silence our message before the fall elections," says the Alert. AFA also points out that the "bill is so bad that even the ACLU has come out against it."