More Non-Profits Win Exemption From Campaign-Finance Rules

From USAToday.com:

Top House Democrats agreed today to exclude more non-profit groups from new disclosure requirements to win broader congressional support for a campaign-finance bill, the Associated Press and other news organizations report.

The move comes after Democrats reached a deal to exempt the National Rifle Association and other groups that have at least 1 million members and receive no more than 15% of their money from corporations from the new rules.

Organizations on the left and right criticized the NRA carve-out, and Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., the bill's author, has widened the exemption to include groups with 500,000 members, the AP writes.

The legislation comes in response to a January Supreme Court ruling that opened the door to unlimited corporate and union spending to support and defeat candidates. Under the bill, corporations, unions and non-profits that broadcast political ads would have to disclose their top donors.