In a major legal victory in DC Circuit Court today, a panel of judges unanimously stated the public has a clear vital interest in preventing corruption and seeing contracts awarded on merit in the federal contracting process.  The case, Wagner v. FEC, upheld a ban on federal contractors contributing directly to candidates.

A statement from Stephen Spaulding, Policy Counsel, was sent to media after news of the decision broke:

“The court unanimously supports the public’s vital interest in stopping government corruption, but the case didn’t address the anonymous contributions federal contractors make to secret dark money groups that perpetuate pay to play corruption. With an executive order requiring disclosure of political spending by federal contractors, President Obama can attack these shady practices that hurt businesses and taxpayers, and shift the national debate from the problem of money in our political system, to solutions the public demands.”