Senator Sherrod Brown, in this morning’s debate over the DISCLOSE Act, noted an article in today’s Columbus Dispatch demonstrating the great need for this law:

Before a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in January, the most Cincinnati billionaire Carl Lindner could directly contribute to Senate candidate Rob Portman was $4,800.

But because of a decision opening campaigns to corporate contributions, Lindner’s American Financial Group was able to give 83 times that amount, $400,000 … to American Crossroads, a group that former George W. Bush adviser Karl Rove helped create to aid GOP candidates. In mid-August, American Crossroads launched a statewide TV ad backing Portman’s Senate candidacy.

In this case, a newspaper exposed the corporate spending. But that disclosure to the voters is the exception, not the rule. DISCLOSE would change that – and that’s why Senate Republicans are fighting it tooth and nail.

It’s worth noting that Portman’s Democratic opponent, Lee Fisher, has signed People For the American Way and Public Citizen’s Pledge to Protect America’s Democracy and supports a constitutional amendment to correct Citizens United.