Senator Dina Titus Asks For More Disclosure On Campaign Reports

Press Release

Senator Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, called on all candidates Wednesday to disclose the names of individuals using Limited Liability Corporations (LLC) to make political donations.

Currently, there is nothing barring an individual from using different LLCs to contribute an unlimited amount of money to one candidate, but this practice does not allow the public to know who is actually making the contribution.

"Trust in politicians is at a serious low, but we can begin to restore that trust by being more open and showing where the campaign money is really coming from," Titus said. "As a senator, I have already supported legislation to ensure the process is more open. Even though this amendment was killed in the final days of the Legislature, I will propose it again and again until meaningful campaign reform is finally enacted."

Titus supported an amendment to SB338 that would have required an LLC making a contribution to a candidate to disclose the name of each person who holds an ownership interest of 1 percent or more in the business entity. This is the same standard of disclosure required of LLCs that buy or lease land from local governments. While LLCs have a legitimate purpose, more and more they are being used to hide ownership.

With the deadline for campaign and expense reports nearing, Titus said it is more important than ever that clear, straightforward information be provided to Nevada citizens.

"Even though the legislation was not enacted, it does not diminish the need for the public's right to know who is giving money to whom," Titus said. "Currently, the average citizen needs to have a magic decoder ring to decipher where the money is actually coming from. This practice must stop now. Individuals should not be allowed to hide behind these LLCs any longer."

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