{news} Long Island Newsday article on Campaign Finance Suit

Sat Jul 8 01:32:02 EDT 2006

| This AP article appeared on the L.I. Newsday site:

HYPERLINK "http://www.amny.com/"	

ACLU files lawsuit challenging campaign finance law

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By PAT EATON-ROBB
Associated Press Writer

July 7, 2006, 1:32 AM EDT

HARTFORD, Conn. -- A group including third-party candidates, lobbyists and
the American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit Thursday seeking
to block Connecticut's new campaign financing system. 

The law, which Gov. M. Jodi Rell signed on Dec. 7, 2005, includes a
voluntary public financing system for campaigns beginning with the 2008
election cycle. 

It also bans campaign contributions from lobbyists, state contractors and
their families in an effort to eliminate incentives for corruption and
contract steering. 

The bans apply to employees who spend as little as 10 percent of their time
lobbying the General Assembly, and would even include a worker at a
child-care center who manages a contract that is even partly funded by the
state, said Renee Redman, the legal director of the ACLU's Connecticut
chapter. 

"These limitations severely impinge the freedoms of speech and association,
and we know of no justification for such severe limitations," she said. 

Lobbyist Betty Gallo, a plaintiff, said that under the law she won't even be
able to answer questions about lawmakers from friends who are considering
making campaign donations. 

"I can no longer serve as a campaign manager for a state race. I cannot even
give a $25 contribution to a friend running for office," she said. "I do not
think prohibiting these activities makes the political process better or
somehow takes corruption out of government. It does violate my rights." 

The plaintiffs also argue that the new public financing system unfairly
benefits major party candidates. 

Candidates would qualify for public financing of $25,000 for a House race,
$85,000 for a Senate contest and $3 million to seek the governor's office if
they meet private fundraising thresholds of $5,000 for a House campaign,
$15,000 for a Senate race and $250,000 for governor. 

To obtain the same money given to Democrats and Republicans, minor-party and
petitioning candidates must not only raise that money, but also collect
signatures from eligible voters equal to 20 percent of the turnout in the
most recent election for the office. 

Based on a turnout of more than 1 million voters statewide in 2002, a minor
party candidate for governor would have to collect more than 200,000
signatures to qualify for full funding. 

"The Connecticut legislators who drafted this law in the dead of night knew
that they were creating a system that would perpetuate two classes of
political parties that are separate and unequal," said S. Michael Derosa, a
plaintiff in the lawsuit and the Green Party's candidate for secretary of
the state. "Some of us in the Green Party call this the 'No Incumbent Left
Behind System."' 

Andy Sauer, executive director of Connecticut Common Cause, which fought for
the legislation, said similar challenges to the federal presidential public
financing program were rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court 30 years ago. 

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said he will vigorously
defend the law. 

"The legislature rightfully believed that public financing was critical to
eliminating abuses in the present system, and these public policy goals are
entitled to respect," he said. "Minor party candidates continue to have
access to public funding if they meet the threshold established by the
legislature." 

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