Joe Lieberman: “I thank the Chair. Some may ask why disclosure is so important. Well, the Supreme Court has spoken about the appearance…”

“I thank the Chair. Some may ask why disclosure is so important. Well, the Supreme Court has spoken about the appearance of corruption. Here, there is the profound suspicion of corruption; but without information, we don't even have the ability to know whether there is corruption, let alone to have the appearance of corruption-- big money, secret money, perhaps not even American money, raised by elected officials, raised by left-leaning, right-leaning ideological groups, raised by political groups, and trade and economic groups, do nothing but undermine our system. The least that we can ask is for disclosure. Mr. President, I appeal to my colleagues, let's break the reflex action and let's rise to the moment. Let's do something correct and courageous here. Let's adopt this amendment and agree together, arm in arm, that if the House refuses to take the bill with this amendment on it, we will strip it off and find the next appropriate vehicle, having spoken for this amendment to attach this principle and to advance the health and vitality of our democracy. No less than that is at stake here.”