(Washington) Republicans in the US Senate on Thursday blocked the passage of a bill supposed to bring more transparency in the astronomical sums irrigating the electoral campaigns, a reform supported by President Joe Biden.
Posted at 3:05 p.m.
In the United States, it is possible for pressure groups and associations to raise huge sums of money without having to reveal their origin, to then spend them in favor of a candidate, a party or an idea. .
The American press revealed this summer the example of a gigantic donation of 1.6 billion dollars made to an association of this type, the very conservative Marble Freedom Trust, which mobilizes among other things against the right to abortion.
“There is far too much money circulating behind the scenes to influence our elections. This is called “hidden money”, and its existence “erodes the confidence” of citizens, denounced US President Joe Biden earlier this week.
The “Disclose” bill would require any pressure group or association acting in this way to declare their donors as soon as the amount donated exceeded $10,000 during an election cycle.
But all Republican senators opposed the reform, arguing that the federal government should stay out of campaign finance regulation.
“Today, Senate Republicans stood with their megadonors and their secret interests to protect the force that most corrupts American politics: hidden money,” said Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. origin of the proposed reform.