{news} FW: Business coalition sues state over campaign finance law

[Charlie Pillsbury]

Business coalition sues state over campaign finance law 

By Keith M. Phaneuf, Journal Inquirer

12/21/2006

 
<http://www.journalinquirer.com/site/printerFriendly.cfm?brd=985&dept_id=161
556&newsid=17619008>  

A Washington, D.C.-based investment coalition is suing Connecticut over new
campaign contribution restrictions aimed at state contractors' families.



The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association's filing in U.S.
District Court contends that the new campaign finance system - which takes
effect Dec. 31 - would unfairly expose contractors' spouses and dependent
children, as well as ban them from making contributions.

The Connecticut Business and Industry Association, which represents about
10,000 companies statewide, filed an affidavit in support of the SIFMA
lawsuit.

"While we support the goal of Connecticut's campaign finance statute, there
are more narrowly tailored solutions that would achieve the same result,"
SIFMA's general counsel, Ira Hammerman, said. "SIFMA filed suit to protect
the identity, privacy, and safety of thousands of children and spouses. The
law as it currently stands is unworkable, unsafe, and unconstitutional."

The General Assembly and Gov. M. Jodi Rell approved a new campaign finance
system in 2005 that has been hailed by many clean government advocates as
the toughest in the nation.

It calls for voluntary public financing for all state elections starting
Jan. 1.

It also takes several steps to weed special-interest dollars out of state
elections, including:

* An end to the loophole that allowed political action committees and state
candidates to accept money from businesses by selling them ad space in
political program books.

* A ban on contributions from lobbyists and state contractors, as well as on
their spouses and dependent children.

State Elections Enforcement Commission Executive Director Jeffrey Garfield,
whose office is preparing a new database of individuals banned from
contributing, reported to lawmakers last month that many contractors have
refused to disclose their spouses and dependent children.

Rep. Christopher L. Caruso, D-Bridgeport, co-chairman of the legislature's
Government Administration and Elections Committee and the lawmaker who
spearheaded the campaign finance legislation, said the lawsuit comes as no
surprise.

"Lobbyists and contractors are finally realizing this law is going to happen
and they can't accept that their influence is going to be greatly reduced,"
he said. "It's reality shock."

Andrew Sauer, executive director of Common Cause's Connecticut chapter, said
that business leaders traditionally have "bundled" contributions to favored
politicians by having their spouses and other relatives contribute as well.

"It's all the same pot of money and I think the voters understand that,"
said Sauer, whose clean government advocacy group has been a staunch
supporter of the new law.

Sauer added there's nothing wrong if business leaders have security concerns
about their relatives being listed on a state database. "But I do know that
the state has to be in a position to enforce this law," he said.

The database being developed by the state includes only banned individuals'
names, not their home addresses and telephone numbers.

Caruso added, "I believe the bill we crafted will stand up in court." 




 

 

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