It's been awhile since an update, so there's more Common Cause news than can fit here. But as state legislatures reopen for the 2008 session, and as the country follows a much-anticipated and closely-fought presidential race, here's a sampling of some highlights from our work making our democracy function more like it should....
This is interesting
logic to oppose a "Clean Elections"-style public financing law:
It creates an alternate, related problem - which is that it asks taxpayers to, in effect, become political donors for candidates with whom they may very well staunchly disagree. Democrats can't be thrilled about paying tax dollars toward Republican campaigns; the converse holds equally true.
Let me get this "logic" straight: if I don't like my tax dollars going to a cause I disagree with, then that cause should not receive funding. So if I oppose my state's free school lunch program, I should be able to opt out of all spending on that program and get my money back? If I don't have a car, I should be able to decide that my tax dollars only go towards Metro systems and bike trails, and not towards building and fixing roads?
That's not how our system works, nor should it. The purpose of taxes is for
all of us to share the burden of a
public good. In that case, a Clean Elections law like the one in Rhode Island should be viewed on its merits--will it improve our democracy, will it help rid us of a problem (such as corruption, or the perception of corruption)?--and not on some flawed logic about how tax dollars can and cannot be spent.
And in that view, yes, full public financing of campaigns is a very good idea.
Yet the Kent County Daily Times continues to make misguided claims about Clean Elections, debunked after the jump.
It's finally Friday!
Elections in Florida demonstrated the enormous problem of incumbent advantage.
In California the "revolving door" between the state legislature and the lobbying industry is so intrenched that it even has its own title - the state's Third House.
Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle's campaign finances are under scrutiny again.
Shady (and illegal) fundraising by a Maryland congressional campaign causes a stir.
New Jersey Governor Corzine is challenged to formally endorse a ban on pay-to-play.
I caused some drama in the Common Cause office by criticizing the New York Yankees for billing the city for lobbying done by the team of the city.
The Arkansas Secretary of State is in trouble for using a statewide voters' guide to seemingly promote his own candidacy.
New York's campaign finance laws are a bloody mess, and need to be fixed immediately.
The battle to define ethics reform rages on in the North Carolina senate.
Common Cause California endorsed Proposition 89, which would create a voluntary system of public financing of campaigns.
A former Rhode Island state senator was fined a record $130,000 for ten ethics violations dating back to 2000.
As always, use the Comments section to tell us about anything that's happened in your state recently that you don't see here.
After admitting to ten ethics violations on Tuesday, former Rhode Island State Senator John A. Celona (D) was fined $130,000 by the Rhode Island Ethics Commission, a record penalty.
The fine comes as a result of undisclosed consulting work for CVS, Blue Cross & Blue Shield, and New England Ambulance between 2000 and 2003. Celona's contract with CVS netted him $1,000 a month in 2000 and included legislative favors beginning in 2001 as chairman of the Senate Corporations Committee. In 2002, he received $1,200 a month from another client, New England Ambulance. That same year, Celona began a relationship with Blue Cross as the host of a company-sponsored nutritional show on cable TV. He was initially paid $1,000 per episode and received a total of $10,605 over the course of the year. After his financial dealings were uncovered, Celona resigned from the RI Senate.
Celona has already pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges and will likely see prison time. The Ethics Commission can impose a maximum fine of $25,000 per count, for a total penalty of $250,000, but decided to charge Celona approximately half that amount. Though Celona is remorseful, an apology may not suffice:
"This was no neophyte, but a career politician," said Jason Gramitt, the commission's prosecutor, calling Celona's actions "willful and egregious."
Government officials should take notice.
Rhode Island's 2006 Public Accountability and Reform Act became law last week without Governor Carcieri's signature.
The measure, endorsed by Common cause and backed by Lt. Gov. Charles J. Fogarty and top legislators, provides for ethics training for officials and lobbyists; requires consolidated lobbying reports that include political contributions and gifts; requires all general officers and candidates to disclose the amounts of outside income, not just the sources; extends requirements for reporting of campaign contributions by state vendors to legislators; and sets rules to ensure members of the R.I. Ethics Commission are "independent" from lobbyists.
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