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Obama Considers Anonymous Donor Limit

Companies would have to disclose political giving.

The Obama administration is considering ways to limit the amount of anonymous campaign contributions companies can make—the type of donations that helped finance many Republicans’ victories in the 2010 elections. The Oval Office began circulating a draft executive order that would require companies bidding on government contracts to disclose their political giving. The White House isn’t alone though in their hatred of anonymous campaign contributions: The Securities & Exchange Commission last month issued a decree that could result in shareholders having more say in corporate donations, while Democratic members of the FCC and FEC are pushing measures to make those anonymous donations public. Supporters of anonymous corporate donations, including the powerful U.S. Chamber of Commerce, already issued attacks against the White House, saying these measures are “an affront to the separation of powers … (and) to free speech.” Despite moving forward with the legislation, Democrats have been creating their own super fundraising groups to counter those established by Republicans.