Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Senate Rules Committee, and Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Select Committee on Intelligence, moved on Thursday to force Facebook, Google, and other Internet Companies to Disclose who is Purchasing Online Political advertising, after Revelations that Russian-linked Operatives bought Deceptive Ads in the Run-Up to the 2016 Election with No Disclosure Required.

Companion Legislation to the Honest Ads Act is being introduced today in the House of Representatives by Reps. Mike Coffman (R, CO-6th District) and Derek Kilmer (D, WA-6th District).

But the Tech Industry, which has worked to thwart Previous efforts to Mandate such Disclosure, is Mobilizing an Army of Lobbyists and Lawyers, including a Senior Adviser to Hillary Clinton’s campaign, to help Shape proposed Regulations.

Long before the 2016 Election, the Adviser, Marc E. Elias, helped Facebook and Google Request Exemptions from the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to Existing Disclosure Rules, arguing that Ads on the Respective Platforms AD Design Format, were too Small to Fit the Disclaimers Listing their Sponsors.

Now Mr. Elias’s high-powered Democratic Election Law Firm, Perkins Coie, is helping the companies navigate Legal and Regulatory Issues arising from Scrutiny of the Russian-linked Ads, which Critics say might have been Flagged by the Disclaimers. In a two-front War, Tech Companies are Targeting an Election Commission Rule-making Process that was Restarted last Month and a Legislative effort in the Senate.

The Honest Ads Act would Change Existing Law by:

- Amending the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002’s Definition of Electioneering Communication to include Paid Internet and Digital Advertisements.

- Requiring Digital Platforms with at least 50,000,000 Monthly Viewers to Maintain a Public File of all Electioneering Communications purchased by a Person or Group who Spends more than $500.00 Total on Ads published on their Platform. The File would contain a Digital Copy of the Advertisement, a Description of the Audience the Advertisement Targets, the Number of Views Generated, the Dates and Times of Publication, the Rates Charged, and the Contact Information of the Purchaser.

- Requiring Online Platforms to make all reasonable Efforts to ensure that Foreign Individuals and Entities are Not Purchasing Political advertisements in order to Influence the American Electorate.

The Final Version of the Bill has not been written.

CLICK HERE to read the Press Release of Klobuchar, McCain, and Warner.









NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker