Minn. bill would follow money in campaigns
A Democratic state lawmaker is pushing to make corporations and labor unions tell the public what they spend on elections and where the money comes from.
Rep. Ryan Winkler of Golden Valley unveils a bill Wednesday that would make organizations disclose their donors and spending on elections.
The proposal comes after a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling loosened restrictions on independent campaign expenditures, which are ads and other political messages made without a candidate's consent.
State regulators say the ruling probably invalidated Minnesota's ban on direct corporate dollars in state elections, even though the decision focused mainly on federal law. State law already allowed unions to spend union dues to influence elections.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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