Corporations and other special interests will bring a new level of influence to bear in this fall’s elections ”“ the first to be held after the Supreme Court declared political spending limits and other limits on corporate speech to be unconstitutional.

This will be an important election year, with the two parties struggling for control of Congress, and political spending is expected to be heavy. Under these circumstances, the role of corporate and special interest spending on behalf of political candidates should be clearly disclosed.

Legislation requiring such accountability failed in Congress last month, thanks to a Republican filibuster in the U.S. Senate. By refusing to allow a vote on the bill, Republicans ensured that special interests could avoid accountability for partisan electioneering.

In his radio address last week, President Obama pointed out that an unlimited amount of money can now be spent anonymously under names like “Citizens for a Better Future.” There is no way to know where the money comes from; it could very well be a foreign corporation like BP.

The Supreme Court’s January decision in Citizens United has strengthened the ability of corporations to influence elections. Those interested in fair and open elections should continue to work for reasonable regulations that will help voters evaluate campaign advertisements.

It’s too late for any reforms before this year’s campaign season, so voters and the media will have to evaluate campaign messages with special care.

— Questions? Comments? Contact Managing Editor Nick Cowenhoven at nickc@journaltribune.com.