In 1972 president Richard Nixon signed the Federal Election Campaign Act into law before Watergate scandal became public. The new law strengthened disclosure requirements, set strict new laws on contribution and spending in federal election and also created a system of public financing for presidential election. In Buckley v. Valeo in 1976, the court

An alternative approach would be that of a Republican member John Doolittle. His bill would: repeal all existing limits on what individuals can contribute and what parties can give to candidates; require full and timely disclosure of campaign contribution; and end the Presidential Election Campaign Fund. Specifically, the bill would require electronic filing of campaign report, including filing every 24 hrs and 90 days before the election and require the Federal Election Commission to post all campaign reports on the Internet.

• Ban on contribution’s from foreign nations.

• Tallying – the practice of dropping big checks to parties marked by “ear making” of which candidates should benefit.”

FCC imposed free or reduced-rate broadcast time for candidates, under this proposal; the Federal Communications Commission would require television and radio stations to provide free or reduced-rate advertising time to candidates for public office. In his 1998 State of the Union address, President Clinton stated, “we have to address the real reason for the explosion in campaign cost: the high cost of media advertising. The airwaves are a public trust, and broadcasters also have to help us in this effort to strengthen our democracy.” In late February, President Clinton send a letter to FCC Chair William Kennard supporting the FCC’s intent to provide free or reduced cost of advertising for candidates.

On March 27, 2002 President Bush signed into law the new Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002. This is the first major reform since about twenty years. The new law prohibits raising and spending soft money by federal office holder and also strongly restricts the use of soft money by state and local parties. The act also provides a new definition of campaign ads versus issue ads. The senate version was primilarly supported by John McCain and Russell Feingold. The bill passed the senate on April 2, 2001 and then went to the House. The major supporters of the House were Christopher Shays and Martin Meehan and it passed the House on February 14, 2002. Later the Senate approved the House version on March 20, 2

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