The Patriot Post
Founders' Quote Daily
"If a well-regulated militia be the most natural defense of a free
country, it ought certainly to be under the regulation and at the
disposal of that body which is constituted the guardian of the
national security. If standing armies are dangerous to liberty,
an efficacious power over the militia in the same body ought,
as far as possible, to take away the inducement and the pretext
to such unfriendly institutions. If the federal government can
command the aid of the militia in those emergencies which call
for the military arm in support of the civil magistrate, it can
the better dispense with the employment of a different kind of
force. If it cannot avail itself of the former, it will be obliged
to recur to the latter. To render an army unnecessary will be a
more certain method of preventing its existence than a thousand
prohibitions upon paper."
-- Alexander Hamilton (Federalist No. 29, 10 January 1788)
Friday, May 18, 2007
MRF Opposition to HR 2093
MRF E-MAIL NEWS Motorcycle Riders Foundation
236 Massachusetts Ave. NE
Suite 510
Washington, DC 20002-4980
202-546-0983 (voice)
202-546-0986 (fax)
http://www.mrf.org (website)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jeff Hennie, MRF Vice-President of Government Relations
jeff@mrf.org (e-mail)
07NR06 - MRF Opposition to HR 2093
The Motorcycle Riders Foundation reports its opposition to HR 2093, a
grassroots lobbying reform bill introduced my Marty Meehan (D-MA). HR
2093 attempts to give more transparency to how grassroots lobby groups
legally conduct business. More transparency in our government is most
certainly a good thing. However HR 2093 tramples over many of the
constitutional freedoms that our country is founded on.
Like most things in Washington, the devil here is the definitions.
HR 2093 specifically targets "lobby firms" however what or better yet
who is defined as a lobby firm. The Meehan legislation would re define
"lobby firm" to any person or entity who on behalf of "client"
(which can be any other person or entity), "receives income of,
or spends or agrees to spend a total of $100,000.00 in a quarterly
period" to engage in paid communications to influence the
general public to lobby congress. Sound like anyone you know of?
So, a single paid individual who direst the spending of as little as
$100K, from any number of sources, on public-influencing activities
would become, by definition, a lobbying firm. Once established as a
firm the individual would be required to report to congress quarterly
detailing the public influence campaigns participated in over the past
three months. The price of not reporting would be hefty campaign finance
fines of up to $200,000.00 per occurrence.
H.R. 2093 would regulate private communications to and among
the general public, and would violate five First Amendment rights;
speech, press, association, petitioning and religion
The bills sponsor initially stated that the legislation would close a
"Jack Abramoff type loophole". After reading the text of the
legislation it becomes apparent that neither Jack Abramoff nor
the kick-backs to him under the scandal would have been disclosed
under H.R. 2093.
Meehan also claims that the bill is targeted at so-called 'Astroturf'
lobbying. But the fact remains that the legislation doesn't target, and
never even attempts to define, 'Astroturf.' Instead, it regulates
genuine citizen-supported policy communications.
Not only is H.R. 2093 unconstitutional, it will leave well heeled
lobbyists, lawyers and wealthy special interests laughing all the way to
the bank.
It also fosters the creation of sham or "straw-man" entities as fronts
for corporations and billionaires, yet manages to have many harmful
consequences for genuine citizen-supported grassroots causes.
The Senate passed similar reform legislation (S 1) earlier this year.
S1 had all of the grassroots reform language stripped out on the Senate
floor. 43 Senate democrats voted in favor of heavily regulating and
punishing grassroots lobby organizations. (110th Senate: roll call vote
17)
The MRF encourages you to contact your federal elected officials and
voice your opinion on this important issue.
236 Massachusetts Ave. NE
Suite 510
Washington, DC 20002-4980
202-546-0983 (voice)
202-546-0986 (fax)
http://www.mrf.org (website)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jeff Hennie, MRF Vice-President of Government Relations
jeff@mrf.org (e-mail)
07NR06 - MRF Opposition to HR 2093
The Motorcycle Riders Foundation reports its opposition to HR 2093, a
grassroots lobbying reform bill introduced my Marty Meehan (D-MA). HR
2093 attempts to give more transparency to how grassroots lobby groups
legally conduct business. More transparency in our government is most
certainly a good thing. However HR 2093 tramples over many of the
constitutional freedoms that our country is founded on.
Like most things in Washington, the devil here is the definitions.
HR 2093 specifically targets "lobby firms" however what or better yet
who is defined as a lobby firm. The Meehan legislation would re define
"lobby firm" to any person or entity who on behalf of "client"
(which can be any other person or entity), "receives income of,
or spends or agrees to spend a total of $100,000.00 in a quarterly
period" to engage in paid communications to influence the
general public to lobby congress. Sound like anyone you know of?
So, a single paid individual who direst the spending of as little as
$100K, from any number of sources, on public-influencing activities
would become, by definition, a lobbying firm. Once established as a
firm the individual would be required to report to congress quarterly
detailing the public influence campaigns participated in over the past
three months. The price of not reporting would be hefty campaign finance
fines of up to $200,000.00 per occurrence.
H.R. 2093 would regulate private communications to and among
the general public, and would violate five First Amendment rights;
speech, press, association, petitioning and religion
The bills sponsor initially stated that the legislation would close a
"Jack Abramoff type loophole". After reading the text of the
legislation it becomes apparent that neither Jack Abramoff nor
the kick-backs to him under the scandal would have been disclosed
under H.R. 2093.
Meehan also claims that the bill is targeted at so-called 'Astroturf'
lobbying. But the fact remains that the legislation doesn't target, and
never even attempts to define, 'Astroturf.' Instead, it regulates
genuine citizen-supported policy communications.
Not only is H.R. 2093 unconstitutional, it will leave well heeled
lobbyists, lawyers and wealthy special interests laughing all the way to
the bank.
It also fosters the creation of sham or "straw-man" entities as fronts
for corporations and billionaires, yet manages to have many harmful
consequences for genuine citizen-supported grassroots causes.
The Senate passed similar reform legislation (S 1) earlier this year.
S1 had all of the grassroots reform language stripped out on the Senate
floor. 43 Senate democrats voted in favor of heavily regulating and
punishing grassroots lobby organizations. (110th Senate: roll call vote
17)
The MRF encourages you to contact your federal elected officials and
voice your opinion on this important issue.
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