Thread by @TomDreisbach

WATCH:

For years, Mitch McConnell has opposed nearly all campaign finance regulations on 1st Amendment grounds.

But in a speech from 1987, McConnell called for a constitutional amendment, because spending by ultra-wealthy candidates "distorts the process" and is "not fair."

In his written remarks, McConnell said:

"Members on both sides of the aisle have decried the ease with which wealthy candidates can virtually purchase congressional seats".

He said his proposed constitutional amendment could fix the problem.

documentcloud.org/documents/5985…

I first read about this proposal in @AlecMacGillis's book.

Then we went to the Library Of Congress to get the video of McConnell's actual speech, and I dug through the old Congressional Record to find the text of his constitutional amendment.

All this reporting came up in our new series about McConnell for @NPREmbedded

podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1091…

In 1991, McConnell also proposed a sweeping campaign finance bill that would:

- Ban PACs
- Eliminate "all soft money"
- Prohibit bundling
- Create standards for non-partisan gerrymandering
- Mandate disclosure of independent expenditures

Read it here:
assets.documentcloud.org/documents/5989…

https://twitter.com/TomDreisbach/status/1137415001931599872

WATCH:

In June 1990, McConnell also came out strongly against "dark money" and political non-profits.

"One of the great problems in the American political process is contributions which are unlimited and undisclosed."

c-span.org/video/?c480162…