Mary Cheh Pushing for Campaign Finance Reforms
Yesterday, Ward 3 Councilmember Mary Cheh sent out a press release describing a new bill before the DC Council. The Campaign Finance Reform Amendment Act of 2012 would radically change campaign finance laws in the District of Columbia. Thankfully, Ward 6 Councilman Tommy Wells immediately backed the plan. We wholeheartedly support this bill and encourage our neighbors and fellow DC residents to do the same.
Some of the highlights of this bill include:
- A prohibition on “contributions from all corporate entities, including partnerships, LLCs, and non-profits”.
- Stating “a District contractor cannot donate to a campaign during the application for, or performance of, a contract if the contribution is to a candidate who may vote on or have approval of the contract award…”
- Prohibiting “fundraisers – those who have raised funds in excess of $10,000 – from receiving a government contract, lease, or appointment within two years of fundraising…”
- Stating a “District contractor cannot donate to a campaign during the application for, or performance of, a contract if the contribution is to a candidate who may vote on or have approval of the contract award…”
Corruption is rife in DC politics and we consider these no-brainer solutions to the current campaign finance law. It is unclear whether or not such a bill would be upheld in the courts. Recently, the Supreme Court blocked a Montana Supreme Court decision that upheld a century-long ban on corporate contributions.
Like this post? Like us!
Thanks for writing about the Cheh-Wells bill and being supportive of the effort. There’s a point of clarification, though. The Cheh-Wells bill and Ballot Initiative 70 are not impacted by Citizens United. They deal with the most basic reform of campaign finance, banning direct corporate contributions to candidate committees. Direct contributions to candidates is blatantly “pay-to-play” and puts big business donations on the same level as resident donations–obviously lop-sided weight.
Citizens United is about corporations’ spending on what’s called “independent expenditures,” or IE. IE are political ads that directly support or oppose a candidate. No doubt IE spending is a part of the campaign finance reform issue. Here’s an article about how IE have stilted elections, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/blackberry/p.html?id=844731.
This really is an issue I need to find more information about, thanks for the publish.