By The Illinois Campaign For Political Reform And CHANGE Illinois!
The Illinois Campaign for Political Reform (ICPR) on Thursday called on Gov. Pat Quinn to veto Senate Bill 3722, which would create a wide loophole in the state’s campaign contribution limits system. [Ed. note: links added]
“Gov. Quinn can and should veto this bill and protect the campaign finance system reforms he helped enact in 2009,” said Brian Gladstein, Executive Director of ICPR. “The Governor signed the limits bill just a few years ago as part of what he called his ‘year of reform.’ If he signs this bill, a lot of the work he did during that year will be for naught.”
Senate Bill 3722 would remove campaign contribution limits on all contributions to candidates running in an election where spending by an independent committee (super PAC) or individual reaches a threshold amount of $250,000 in a statewide race or $100,000 in all other election contests.
“Citizens throughout Illinois were angered by Rod Blagojevich’s corrupt actions and the state’s history of corrupt agreements involving political contributions, and voters demanded reform of Illinois’ loose campaign finance regulations, which allowed unlimited contributions to all candidates,” Gladstein said. “This bill would be a step backwards and open the door to more corruption in the future.”
The state’s contribution limits law was passed in 2009, but since then, federal court decisions have prevented enforcement of state laws prohibiting limits on contributions to political action committees that spend money to influence the outcome of elections but do not coordinate with any candidates.
Advocates of SB 3722 contend that the court decisions allowing super PACs to collect money without limits and spend it to influence the outcome of an election put candidates at a disadvantage and argue candidates in those elections should be able to solicit and accept contributions of all sizes.
ICPR counters that contribution limits are a key weapon in the fight against corruption notes and other states have found better ways to address the potential of involvement of independent expenditures in elections.
For example, Illinois should enact a definition of independent expenditures that would exclude PACs intertwined with candidates and improve disclosure so the public is provided with information about super PAC supporters in all election communications.
“Instead of rushing a loophole into the new law, Illinois should pause and study how best to fit super PACs into the campaign finance system,” Gladstein said. “We are calling on Gov. Quinn to stop the vandalization of the limits system. Give the Illinois Campaign Reform Task Force time to study responses in other states and recommend the next steps for Illinois before making hasty changes to Illinois’ corruption-fighting contribution limits system. Refine the limits law. Don’t blow a hole in it.”
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Dear Governor Quinn:
On Dec. 9, 2009, we were proud to stand with you as you signed what you correctly described as groundbreaking campaign finance reform legislation, the state’s first contribution limits on all candidates, parties and political action committees.
Today, there is a serious threat to that comprehensive system of limits.
Senate Bill 3722, which passed both chambers of the General Assembly in the final hours of this spring session, would create a major loophole in the limits system – one that quite likely would remove limits all together in the 2014 gubernatorial election, the first statewide election since limits took effect.
It now is up to you to take the needed steps to preserve the limits system in Illinois, just as it fell to you in the summer of 2009 to veto a badly flawed limits bill and bring legislative leaders and reform proponents back to the table to resume negotiations on the details of a comprehensive limits system.
We urge you to veto SB 3722 or to use your amendatory veto power to improve the bill by removing language opening the door to unlimited contributions.
If SB 3722 becomes law, there is no doubt it will legalize unlimited contributions to candidates running in the most hotly contested elections, including the 2014 race for governor.
As you know, the U.S. Supreme Court decided the Citizens United case after you signed the state’s limits law, and we acknowledge it has changed the way national campaigns are waged. But it should not be used as an excuse to undermine the limits system you signed into law.
Changes in the limits law may be necessary, but those changes should be determined after careful study and consultation with national experts. That study should be conducted by the 11-member Illinois Campaign Finance Reform Task Force, which was created by the 2009 limits law and whose members were chosen by you and each of the four legislative leaders.
Rather than rush a loophole into the limits law, you can use your veto or amendatory veto to encourage the General Assembly to consider changes based on facts, to involve reform advocates in the discussion, and to attempt to reach a bipartisan consensus.
Sincerely,
Peter Bensinger
Deborah Harrington
George Ranney
Co-chairs, CHANGE Illinois!
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Comments welcome.
Posted on May 31, 2012