Colo. lawmakers want disclosure of donations

By The AP
Monday, April 26, 2010

DENVER — Hoping to avoid a bidding war for votes in November, Colorado lawmakers introduced a measure today that would require businesses and unions to disclose major campaign donations.

Lawmakers acted because the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that businesses and unions should be allowed to spend unlimited amounts to produce and run their own campaign ads.

In an advisory opinion, the Colorado Supreme Court said that conflicts with Amendment 27 that voters approved in 2002 to ban such contributions.

Sen. Morgan Carroll, a Democrat from Aurora, said businesses spent $1.9 billion and labor unions shelled out $74 million in total contributions nationwide in 2008 under current laws. Carroll says that will pale in comparison if unlimited contributions are allowed.