Letters: The Politics of Corporations

What is little known about the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision is that eight of the nine justices also said that disclosure of who is paying for ads is really important - first, so voters can properly weigh the arguments; second, so shareholders can know how their companies are spending their money; and finally, because doing so does not conflict with the 1st Amendment.

The justices essentially invited Congress and the states to pass disclosure laws.

But as you note, Congress failed to pass such a law in 2010. Since then, the California Clean Money Campaign has been trying to get our Legislature to pass a California DISCLOSE Act. Last year it passed the Assembly, and it will soon go to the state Senate for a vote.

Any Californian who would like to see greater disclosure in political advertising should make her views known to her state senator.

John M. Goodman

Garden Grove