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Free Speech is Under Attack by the Federal Election Commission Would Make It Unlawful to Criticize Bush Administration Policies To Silence Bush's Critics on Civil Liberties, Environment, Health People for the American Way |
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Advocates of free speech released a statement that said: "Making it unlawful to criticize the policies and actions of a sitting President or Members of Congress except under the auspices of a registered political committee is one of the most fundamental attacks on the freedom of speech and freedom of association of American citizens ever contemplated by a government agency," On March 3, FEC commissioners had returned with another misguided proposal from their general counsel, this one in the form of a proposed rulemaking that People for the American Way says "is breathtaking in scope, and potentially devastating in effect." "The draft that came before the commission on Thursday," said PFAW President Ralph Neas, "would effectively end legitimate political and electoral advocacy by many nonprofit organizations. Any organization that spends $50,000 a year on any form of communication that criticizes or commends the president or any federal official running for reelection would, according to the draft proposed rulemaking, have to become a federal political committee. "In other words, nonprofit organizations that advocate for cancer research, or promote policies that alleviate poverty, or work to clean up the environment, or to protect civil rights and civil liberties - all these organizations could be transformed into political committees if they criticize or commend members of Congress or the President based on their official actions or policy positions. "And that would radically restrict such organizations' ability to raise and spend funds in pursuit of their mission. That possibility would be so ruinous that groups would be forced to back away from meaningful conversations about public policies that affect the lives of millions of Americans. "It should be emphasized that this proposal would dramatically restrict nonprofit advocacy all across the political spectrum. "At People For the American Way," continued Neas, "we are especially concerned about how this draconian proposal could effectively shut down the progressive movement and silence criticism of the Bush administration and its policies. "This preposterous proposal is not what Congress had in mind when it passed the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act. It was not called for by the Supreme Court in upholding BCRA. The Commissioners should summarily reject this irresponsible proposal. "In fact, we are calling on the commissioners not to issue the proposal in draft form for public comment. It is too flawed, too far from any reasonable policy outcome, to serve as the basis for conversation. The FEC's general counsel needs to start over, with clear guidance from the commissioners and the public, to ensure that any proposed FEC rules stay within the bounds of the law and the Constitution." |
 
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Federal Election Commission Chairman Bradley Smith © 1997-2009 BEI
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