Subject: [big campaign] NYT: Big donors call for stricter campaign laws
From: David Donnelly <[email-masked]>
To: big campaign <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 19:00:19 -0500
List-Id: <bigcampaign.googlegroups.com>

*BIG DONORS CALL FOR STRICTER CAMPAIGN LAWS
*
* *
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/16/big-donors-call-for-stricter-campaign-laws/

If anyone knows the burdens of political fund-raising, it is the biggest
political donors — the rich partisans who field the constant calls from
elected officials pressing for checks to fill their campaign coffers.

So to help make their case to House Democratic leaders, advocates of
stricter campaign financing laws have enlisted a roster of about 60 of the
biggest donors to the House Democratic campaign committee — donors like
Jonathan Soros, son of the billionaire financier George Soros; Douglas
Durst, the New York real estate magnate; and Herb Sandler, the
banker-turned-philanthropist.

A coalition of groups promoting a plan for public financing of Congressional
elections has recruited the donors to sign a letter urging House leaders to
push it forward, arguing for urgency in the aftermath of the recent Supreme
Court ruling, known as Citizens United, which allows corporations, unions
and other groups to finance big political commercials. “As we well know from
the solicitation calls we receive, our political leaders must fund-raise
constantly,” the letter declares.

The donor letter-signers — all among society’s wealthiest few— write: “The
court’s action will clearly lead to an increase in independent expenditures
by the wealthiest interests in our society, diminishing the voices of
candidates and voters alike.” The threat of “outside intervention in
elections,” they declare, “will add to the already intolerable pressure on
members of Congress to raise campaign funds, a consuming distraction for
those who are tasked with leading our nation during difficult times such as
these.”

The full letter, addressed to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, can be read here.
<http://fairelectionsnow.org/files/pelosi_donor_letter.pdf>

The proposal they are endorsing would provide grants and matching funds to
encourage candidates to rely only on small donations from private
contributors. It would also presumably relieve big donors of a considerable
financial burden. Prospects this year, however, are uncertain.

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