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Election highlights flaws in campaign finance system

November 11, 2014
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Mark Chapman
Election highlights campaign financing woes
Election highlights campaign financing woes. (DollarDownloads)

HARTFORD, Conn. – Good government advocates concede that the state’s clean election program may need some work after this year’s election cycle.

On one hand, 2014 was a banner year for Connecticut’s public campaign finance system. Both candidates for governor, all the candidates for constitutional office, and more than 80 percent of the candidates for General Assembly seats participated.

On the other hand, outside groups spent $15.9 million on the governor’s race, outpacing the $13 million the two candidates received from the clean election program.

The public financing program has been on the books since 2005, when it was passed in response to former Gov. John G. Rowland’s corruption scandal. But last Tuesday was the first test of the law as it was reshaped by the legislature last year.

See the complete story at CT News Junkie.

 

 

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Comments

5 responses to “Election highlights flaws in campaign finance system”

  1. John Hamlin

    If we can’t control the use of outside and PAC money, then just let the candidates pay for their own campaigns. A shame we can’t keep PACs, corporations, and unions out of politics.

  2. EveT

    The problem is not the Citizens Election Program. The problem is the Citizens United decision, which used the so-called logic that corporations are “people” and campaign money is “free speech” to unleash piles of dark money on elections all over the place.
    Apparently the only way to take the teeth out of Citizens United is to pass a constitutional amendment to state that corporations are not people and money is not speech.

  3. Don’t Panic

    @Eve T,

    Couldn’t agree more.

    Senators Blumenthal and Murphy, are you listening?

  4. Rod Lopez-Fabrega

    YES! Our method of financing campaigns is bringing down our version of democracy: purchased candidates leaning toward government by prostitution. Just think of the time candidates spend raising funds to pay for the ever more necessary MEDIA which is an ever more demanding–time they should spend fulfilling their multiple promises. Then, there is the BIG one, and that is unlimited special interest monies flowing in through the actions of our dysfunctional Supreme Court.

  5. EveT

    Senators Blumenthal and Murphy, and Rep. Himes, are all on board with the need to overturn Citizens United. The challenge is to get members of congress from enough other states to act on this.
    Corporate personhood and money as “free speech” shouldn’t be partisan issues, but they are, so it’s a pretty safe bet the next congress with its two-house Republican majority will let Citizens United stand.

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