Minnesota Campaign Board's Proposal Targets Anonymous Donors

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Minnesota campaign finance officials may push to require political groups to name donors who pay for issue advertisements that don't directly advocate for or against a candidate or issue.

The Star Tribune reports that the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board will consider the proposed changes Thursday.

Issue ads discuss a candidate or issue without using language that explicitly urges a vote in a certain direction. The board began working on the proposal after seeing many ads that were intended to influence the election but didn't have to disclose funding sources.

George Beck is chairman of Clean Elections Minnesota. He praised the board's efforts to address what he says is the state's biggest disclosure loophole.

Charlie Weaver leads the Minnesota Business Partnership. He says changes could make compliance more difficult and limit political speech.

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