During a January Democratic debate in Las Vegas, Obama boasted that "part of the reason that you know who's bundling money for various candidates is because of a law I passed this year, which says: Lobbyists, if you are taking money from anybody and putting it together and then giving it to a member of Congress, that has to be disclosed."
In fact, the bundling provision to which Obama was referring — and which his campaign bragged about in television ads — will not be implemented in time for the 2008 elections, partly because Obama led a partisan confirmation battle that crippled the agency charged with implementing the new rule.
McCain has voluntarily disclosed the names, addresses and occupations of his lobbyist bundlers (which will be required by Obama's yet-to-be implemented provision) and his other bundlers. But Obama, who does not take money from lobbyists, only lists the names and addresses of his bundlers. Plus his claim is untrue.
I — of all of the candidates here — have actually taken away the power of lobbyists. Part of the reason that you know who's bundling money for various candidates is because of a law I passed this year which says: Lobbyists, if you're taking money from anybody and putting together and giving it to a member of congress, that has to be disclosed."
Obama was among the leading proponents of a provision requiring disclosure to the FEC of contributions bundled by lobbyists to congressional and presidential candidates. And the provision was included in the "Honest Leadership and Open Government Act," which President Bush signed into law in September.
But the commission lacks the votes necessary to take any official actions, including implementing — let alone enforcing — the law, rendering it effectively moot. That's because Senate Democrats, led by Obama, blocked the confirmation of four nominees to the six-seat agency, leaving it without a quorum.
Obama and Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) technically put a hold on the Senate confirmation of only one nominee: Hans von Spakovsky. He has been accused of diluting minority voting power during an earlier stint as a Justice Department lawyer.
But Senate Republicans demanded that all four nominees (two Democrats, two Republicans) be voted on as a group — the way confirmations have traditionally gone for the commission, which by statute consists of three appointees from each party.
The derailing of von Spakovsky bolstered Obama's civil rights bona fides. It pleased Democratic and black activists, because it dovetailed with their concerns about politicization of the Justice Department under President Bush.
But the subsequent stalemate has concerned advocates of campaign finance regulation. They warn that without the FEC functioning as a watchdog, candidates and outside groups are likely to push the bounds of the rules to pour cash into a 2008 presidential race expected to easily eclipse $1 billion.
Obama stressed the importance of the FEC in an October op-ed published in the Chicago Defender, a prominent black newspaper.
"So it goes without saying that the FEC needs strong, impartial leadership that will promote integrity in our election system," Obama wrote. "Hans von Spakovsky is not the right person for this job, and I strongly oppose his nomination."