Asa Hutchinson: “I voted for cloture because I want campaign finance reform. I want an opportunity to amend McCain-Feingold, which I…”

“I voted for cloture because I want campaign finance reform. I want an opportunity to amend McCain-Feingold, which I believe is a seriously flawed bill. I want a chance to vote on a reform bill and I want to ban or limit soft money. But it is now clear that there is no consensus in support of McCain-Feingold, and if we are to have serious and meaningful reform, we will and must take a different direction. I absolutely do not support the current version of McCain-Feingold. In my opinion, and I have expressed it both publicly and privately, McCain-Feingold contains provisions that threaten free speech and pose serious constitutional problems, especially in the area of issue advocacy. These groups, which play such an important part in the political process, regardless of their affiliation, deserve to play that important role. And we must not in any way place a chill on their right of free expression and their ability to criticize their public officials.”