WASHINGTON, June 15 (UPI) -- A compromise on U.S. campaign finance reform would allow a few large national groups to avoid disclosing big donors, critics of the proposed legislation said.
The plan exempts groups with more than 1 million members that get less than 15 percent of funding from corporations. While it would apply to the American Association of Retired Persons and the Humane Society as well, its principal beneficiary would be the National Rifle Association, The Washington Post reports.
The NRA, one of the country's most powerful lobbies, has said it would oppose the campaign finance bill unless it gets an exemption. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., was introduced in response to a Supreme Court decision that overturned limits on corporate political spending.
Many backers of the reform bill have said they support the exemption as necessary to get it passed. But some liberal groups do not.
"This exemption is something we can't stomach, so we're opposing it until it's removed," said Lisa Gilbert, of the U.S. Public Interest Research Group.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., released a statement opposing the entire bill and accusing Democrats of using machinations like those that helped win passage of the healthcare reform bill.
"If there is one thing Americans loathe about Washington, it's the backroom dealing to win the vote of organizations with power and influence at the expense of everyone else," he said.
