Hyde-Smith says DISCLOSE Act would harm rights of Americans guaranteed by the First Amendment

Miss. Senator said the bill would harm rights of Americans guaranteed by the First Amendment to freely speak, publish, organize into groups, & petition.

On Tuesday, the Senate Rules and Administration Committee conducted a hearing to examine the Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections Act of 2021 or DISCLOSE Act (S.443).

During the hearing, U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) sought to shed light on the risks to the First Amendment rights of free speech and association under provisions of a controversial campaign finance bill promoted by Democrats since 2010.

Senator Hyde-Smith said that it is clear that the DISCLOSE Act would harm the rights of Americans guaranteed by the First Amendment to freely speak, publish, organize into groups, and petition.

“The message that the DISCLOSE Act will not overcome legal challenges on its infringement of our First Amendment rights just doesn’t seem to resonate with congressional Democrats, who have been trying to pass these restrictions for more than a decade,” Hyde-Smith added.

Hyde-Smith has voted numerous times against provisions of S.443. The legislation would among other things, federalize elections, ban Mississippi’s voter ID law, force taxpayers to fund political campaigns, and restore a Justice Department rule over any changes to Mississippi election laws.

In January 2022, the Mississippi Senator expressed her strong opposition to the provisions of the legislation.

“The people of Mississippi and this great nation have every right to be frustrated with Washington, D.C. Today, they face pandemic worries, inflationary prices on everything, a border under siege, rising crime rates, and ominous international threats—issues that should be at the forefront of the Senate agenda,” Hyde-Smith said.

“Instead, the U.S. Senate is spending more time fighting fake hysteria fanned by Democrats to justify a federal takeover of our elections. This bill, just like the last four versions, amounts to a cynical power grab and not a true effort to strengthen electoral integrity,” she continued.