MRF E-MAIL NEWS Motorcycle Riders
Foundation
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jeff Hennie, MRF
Vice-President of Government Relations
jeff@mrf.org (e-mail)
07NR06 -
MRF Opposition to HR 2093
The Motorcycle Riders Foundation reports its
opposition to HR 2093, a grassroots lobbying reform bill introduced my Marty
Meehan (D-MA). HR 2093 attempts to give more transparency to how grassroots
lobby groups legally conduct business. More transparency in our government is
most certainly a good thing. However HR 2093 tramples over many of the
constitutional freedoms that our country is founded on.
Like most things
in Washington, the devil here is the definitions. HR 2093 specifically targets
"lobby firms" however what or better yet who is defined as a lobby firm. The
Meehan legislation would re define "lobby firm" to any person or entity who on
behalf of "client" (which can be any other person or entity), "receives income
of, or spends or agrees to spend a total of $100,000.00 in a quarterly period"
to engage in paid communications to influence the general public to lobby
congress. Sound like anyone you know of?
So, a single paid individual who
direst the spending of as little as $100K, from any number of sources, on
public-influencing activities would become, by definition, a lobbying firm. Once
established as a firm the individual would be required to report to congress
quarterly detailing the
public influence campaigns participated in over the
past three months. The price of not reporting would be hefty campaign finance
fines of up to $200,000.00 per occurrence.
H.R. 2093 would regulate
private communications to and among the general public, and would violate five
First Amendment rights; speech, press, association, petitioning and
religion
The bills sponsor initially stated that the legislation would
close a "Jack Abramoff type loophole". After reading the text of the
legislation it becomes apparent that neither Jack Abramoff nor the kick-backs to
him under the scandal would have been disclosed under H.R. 2093.
Meehan
also claims that the bill is targeted at so-called 'Astroturf' lobbying. But the
fact remains that the legislation doesn't target, and never even attempts to
define, 'Astroturf.' Instead, it regulates genuine citizen-supported policy
communications.
Not only is H.R. 2093 unconstitutional, it will leave
well heeled lobbyists, lawyers and wealthy special interests laughing all the
way to the bank.
It also fosters the creation of sham or "straw-man"
entities as fronts for corporations and billionaires, yet manages to have many
harmful consequences for genuine citizen-supported grassroots causes.
The
Senate passed similar reform legislation (S 1) earlier this year. S 1 had all of
the grassroots reform language stripped out on the Senate floor. 43 Senate
democrats voted in favor of heavily regulating and punishing grassroots lobby
organizations. (110th Senate: roll call vote 17)
The MRF encourages
you to contact your federal elected officials and voice your opinion on this
important
issue.
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