Larry Kudlow Calls for Campaign Ad Funding Disclosure

Former Reagan Administration official, CNBC host and columnist Larry Kudlow, who writes for the National Review -- one of the oldest and most influential conservative publications in the country -- said October 6 that shadowy groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Karl Rove's American Crossroads should make their funding and spending records public. According to an October 7, 2010 posting on The Gavel, the blog of the Speaker of the House, Kudlow said, "Why not have the media posting of the contribution information on the Internet? That’s all. And let everybody decide… Who, what, when, how, where, who got it? Put it up on the net and let free speech and free politics take its work … American Crossroads and Karl Rove and all them should post also." Kudlow's comments join a growing chorus of supporters of full disclosure for the origins of campaign ad funding. The push for disclosure follows exposure of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's possible use of funds from foreign companies and governments to finance political attack ads in the U.S., and Republicans' success at blocking consideration of the DISCLOSE Act in September. The Act would prevent foreign influence in elections, enhance financial disclosures for advertising, and make CEOs and other leaders take responsibility for financing political ads.