With little time to spare, Capitol lawmakers gathered outside the Supreme Court Thursday to propose an antidote to the court’s damaging decision to open elections to unlimited attack and advocacy ads financed from the shadows by special-interest money.

Senator Charles Schumer, Democrat of New York, and Representative Chris Van Hollen, Democrat of Maryland, are calling for new legislation that would let the voters know which financiers are stalking or plumping for which federal candidates.

The United States Chamber of Commerce immediately, predictably, warned that the new disclosure rules would “silence constitutionally protected speech.” Actually, the measure applies sunshine, not silence, to secretive, end-run campaign spending.

Just as Frank Perdue used to proudly back his chickens, the proposed legislation requires the chief donors in corporate, union and shell organization ads to stand by their message before the cameras. It’s healthy and candid. And to make informed choices, the voters certainly need to know.