In the News
WNYC: In the News: WNYC: Should Corporations be Required to Disclose Political Spending to Shareholders?
CCP Academic Advisor David Primo talked with WNYC’s The Takeaway about the SEC’s proposed rule making opposite Robert Jackson (Columbia University Law School Professor).
For more information on this topic go to ProxyFacts.org
CCP
A First Look: The Wyden-Murkowski “Follow the Money Act of 2013”
By David Keating, President and Eric Wang, Senior FellowSenators Ron Wyden and Lisa Murkowski are at least (somewhat) candid about their motivations when they say “The goal of this effort is disclosure, for disclosure’s sake.” (Backgrounder on Wyden-Murkowski at 1.) Whether or not they have an ulterior motive of protecting their own incumbency is another matter.Notably, Wyden and Murkowski do not purport to be concerned about whether the disclosure they seek to compel is constitutional, whether it is meaningful, whether it is informative to the public, or whether it furthers a legitimate governmental interest in preventing corruption or the appearance thereof. Nor do they seem to care whether such disclosure is overly burdensome or deters political speech protected by the First Amendment.The bill would radically expand the reach of government regulation on speech critical of elected officials and force many, if not nearly all, advocacy groups to register and file burdensome reports with the federal government. The registration and reporting scheme also includes the threat of stiff tax penalties on groups and individuals, along with an organizational death sentence that could be imposed by the IRS for errors. If enacted, this bill would dragoon the IRS into a role as political campaign enforcer, a role the IRS is ill-equipped for and does not want.
Disclosure
ACU: ACU CALLS ON SENATE TO REJECT WYDEN/MURKOWSKI CAMPAIGN FINANCE LEGISLATION
“When liberals talk about ‘transparency’, that isn’t what they mean. What they really want and what this bill provides is a target list of conservatives who have the temerity to contribute their after tax dollars to support candidates and issues the left hates,” said ACU Foundation Chairman Cleta Mitchell, who is also a campaign finance attorney. “For years liberals have been trying to silence conservatives and intimidate conservative donors in order to keep them from funding conservative causes, issues and candidates.”
“As our recent survey on privacy and free speech indicated, Americans see these as fundamental freedoms and they clearly believe that Obama and his administration have shown a pattern of attempting to limit free speech,” said Cardenas. “It indicated that voters are suspicious of political leaders who would try or threaten reprisals on those who finance their opposition on important issues. I encourage everyone to read the results of this important national survey.”Access the results of their survey at this link.
Corporate Governance
NY Times: Corporate Donations and the S.E.C.
EditorialMary Jo White, the new S.E.C. chairwoman, has promised dynamic changes in corporate oversight. The looming disclosure fight provides a test.
FEC
Washington Post: Gay couples can’t make joint political donations from individual account, FEC rules
By Juliet EilperinIn a somewhat emotional session, FEC commissioners lamented the fact they had no choice but to deny gay couples the same rights as straight ones, given the Defense of Marriage Act‘s legal requirements. Dan Winslow, a Republican candidate in next week’s primary for the open Massachusetts Senate seat, had requested the advisory opinion.“Mr. Engle, sometimes the law’s an ass,” declared FEC chair Ellen L. Weintraub, referring to the line from Charles Dickens’ “Oliver Twist” in addressing Winslow’s attorney Craig Engle.
State and Local
Florida –– Miami Herald: Legislators send campaign finance and ethics bills to governor
By Mary Ellen KlasThe campaign finance bill, HB 569, raises campaign contribution limits from the $500 now allowed in current law to $3,000 for statewide candidates and $1,000 for everyone else, thereby giving the governor and any potential opponent an easier way to raise campaign cash. The House voted for the measure 79-34 and the Senate voted for it 37-0.
Nevada –– AP: Nevada campaign finance bill goes to Assembly
The bill was amended to ease some restrictions deemed onerous by some lawmakers. It now requires candidates to report within 72 any contributions over $2,000 received during Nevada’s early voting period.But Senate Republicans took exception Tuesday to a clause authorizing funds to be used to buy clothes. Minority Leader Michael Roberson dubbed it the “Armani” provision.
New York –– Politics on the Hudson: Skelos: Public campaign financing won’t stop “crooks and idiots”
By Jon Campbell“There’s not a piece of legislation that would have stopped Malcolm Smith, those individuals down in the city. Remember, this involved the mayor’s race in New York City where there’s campaign finance,” Skelos said. “Public financing of elections would not have stopped any one of those crooks and idiots from doing what they did.”
New York –– Buffalo News: Senate GOP says campaign finance price tag will soar
By Tom PreciousALBANY – Senate Republicans say a newly proposed public campaign finance system will cost taxpayers $221.5 million in an election cycle for statewide and legislative races – a number far higher than the amount estimated last week by Assembly Democrats.Senate Republicans are pushing back at efforts by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, saying voters do not want their tax money going to fund political campaigns. Advocates say the measure is needed to help reduce the influence of money in New York campaigns and to give less wealthy candidates a fairer shot in running against incumbents or wealthy candidates.
