Position in Brief:
Campaign Finance (1974, revised 1982): Improve methods of financing political
campaigns in order to ensure the public's right to know, combat corruption and undue
influence, enable candidates to compete more equitably for public office and promote
citizen participation in the political process.
Action by the Illinois League In the area of Campaign Finance Reform LWVIL acts under the position adopted by the LWVUS.
League Activity/Outlook:
State of Illinois
In the fall of 2009, the Illinois General Assembly passed and the Governor signed SB 1466 (PA 96-0832). This legislation that took effect on January 1, 2011, fundamentally changes the way Illinois regulates how money is used to influence politics. Specifically the law contains:
- The first limits on money coming into the political system with
- Limits for individuals, corporations, unions and associations, and PACs for the primary and general elections
- Limits for political party and legislative caucus committees during primary elections
- A framework for better disclosure and enforcement
- Contributions of $1000 or more must be reported electronically within 5 days
- More detailed quarterly (rather than semi-annual) reports from campaign committees of contributions and expenditures
- Random audits conducted by State Board of Elections to ensure compliance with the laws
- Enhanced penalties for violation of the law’s provisions
The League supports legislation that would provide for limits on contributions from political party and legislative caucus committees to candidate political committees in general elections. Not having these limits was a significant omission in the law. Placing limits on contributions from state parties and legislative leaders would allow Illinois to have a comprehensive system of limits covering all contributors year round. This would encourage candidates to rely on more small contributions from local supporters and free rank-and-file lawmakers to vote in the interest of their constituents rather than parties, leaders and contributors to those PACs.
Pass Additional Campaign Contribution Limits
A goal of the League’s campaign finance reform strategy is to build support for public financing as the best long-term solution for having open and honest elections and for maximum citizen participation in the political process. A state Campaign Finance Reform Task Force was also created by PA96-0832. The Task Force is charged with reviewing the implementation of campaign finance reform legislation and looking at the feasibility of implementing a “clean money” campaign system – that would subsidize political campaigns in exchange for voluntary adherence to specified expenditure limitations. At a December 15, 2011 Task Force hearing the LWVIL presented testimony in support of public financing of elections. The LWVIL urged the Task Force to recommend that the General Assembly consider a system of public financing that will be open, fair and restore the trust of the public in elections in Illinois and in their state government. The League suggested that public financing in Illinois start with judicial elections because judges do not have constituencies and must be impartial and not subjected to political influences in making their decisions which should be based on law, evidence and facts of individual cases.
Testimony before the Illinois Campaign Finance Reform Task Force is here..
National
The LWVUS is asking US Representatives to cosponsor the DISCLOSE 2012 Act (Democracy is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections) that will require complete disclosure of spending on big-money advertising in candidate elections.
In Citizens United v. FEC (January, 2010), the US Supreme Court ruled that in the electoral context the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gives corporations, like people, free speech protections and spending money is a form of speech. The Court held that there is no difference under the law between an individual citizen and a multinational corporation (or any other corporation) when it comes to independent expenditures. Corporations and unions are now able to pay for television advertisements that directly call for the election or defeat of political candidates out of their treasury funds. Enhanced disclosure is the most basic step toward protecting the role of voters and ensuring that they can make informed decisions.
The LWVUS is urging President Obama to nominate new commissioners to the Federal Election Commission (FEC). In this important election year, new Super PACs are flooding elections with huge expenditures from million-dollar donors. Because they are supposedly “independent” from the candidates and with new loopholes from the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, Super PACs can raise and spend unlimited amounts from corporations and individuals, and they can do so with limited disclosure. Among other duties, the FEC can define what election efforts are “independent” from the candidates. The FEC is supposed to enforce campaign finance laws, but it is dysfunctional. Of the six commissioners at the agency, three of them staunchly refuse to enforce the law and five of the six are serving despite expired terms.
LWVUS ACTION on Money in Elections including Disclosure and FEC Nominations can be found HERE.
Interested in working on this issue?
Please email issues@lwvil.org
and cite the Issue on the subject line.
Additional Resources:
|
