Union claims Disclose Act falls short

Legislation introduced in the House and Senate requiring greater disclosure of how campaign funds are spent falls short, said Anna Burger, Secretary-Treasurer at the Service Employees International Union. 

"It falls short in protecting the free speech rights of workers on the job. It falls short in protecting the free speech rights of small investors who place their savings in mutual funds. And it falls short in protecting the retirement savings of retirees and the American middle class from becoming political pawns in the games played in corporate board rooms," she said in prepared remarks. 

Burger refers to the Disclose Act, which is a legislative response to the Supreme Court's ruling on the Citizens United case. 

The court decision said corporations and others have First Amendment rights and removed some of their restrictions on campaign spending, allowing them to spend unlimited funds on election activities to expressly advocate for or against a candidate's election.

The legislation attempts to prevent massive donations from happening by requiring campaign donors to publicly disclose where they put their money. 

Burger argues the bill should also protect employees from reprisal by bosses who ask them to advance the companies political agenda that they do not agree with. It also doesn't give employee shareholders a say on the political candidate the corporation donates to. 

"Voters, not corporations, must be the ones to decide the director and future of our country," she said.