05/12/2007

Campaign finance reform bogs down in Legislature

By Brian McGillivary

bmcgillivary@record-eagle.com

Robinson

McManus

TRAVERSE CITY — State Sen. Michelle McManus gives herself an "A-plus” for her work on campaign and election reform, but her efforts thus far haven't impressed one of Michigan's top political watchdogs.

McManus, R-Lake Leelanau, is chairwoman of the Senate's new Campaign and Election Oversight Committee. In her first five months she held three committee meetings and passed one piece of legislation.

"Progress has been slow because of bigger issues like the budget and (replacing) the single business tax,” McManus said.

Her one piece of campaign legislation targets automated or "robo” political phone calls. If adopted, committees behind the calls or advertisements would have to be disclosed. No such requirement currently exists.

That's not much progress, said Rich Robinson, Executive Director of the nonprofit, nonpartisan Michigan Campaign Finance Network.

"It's such a modest accomplishment and yet (the House and Senate) still haven't been able to come together on it,” he said.

Without further legislation to require organizations that do "issue ads,” to report contributions, Robinson said the disclaimers "don't tell us anything.”

Issue ads praise or condemn a candidate or ballot issue but don't ask people to vote one way or the other. The organization paying for the ad is not required to report donations or expenditures.

"So they say it's paid for by the Committee for Sweetness and Light; you get the name of the shell but you don't know who's behind it,” said Robinson, who will be in Traverse City on Wednesday evening for a public presentation, courtesy of the League of Women Voters Grand Traverse Area.

Robinson said voters should be concerned about a record-breaking $120 million spent on state elections in the 2006 campaign season, as well as $30 million spent by lobbyists in 2006.

"It's not just that money is buying elections, it's also driving public policy,” he said.

Robinson will give the public an inside peek into how Michigan — with some of the nation's loosest financial reporting requirements — allows unions and corporations to make millions of dollars in oft-untraceable donations to help state politicians.

Lawmakers then use a multitude of loopholes in the state's campaign finance law to help spread the wealth to their colleagues through a cumulative 93 political leadership funds.

"It's legal money-laundering,” Robinson said.

The League of Women Voters' featured speaker at its annual meeting, Robinson will address reforming Michigan's campaign finance laws, the lack of an ethics law that applies to the state Legislature and state Supreme Court, and use of nonprofit organizations as another vehicle to funnel money to politicians.

"These nonprofits are about people who want to put money into politicians' pockets and politicians who want to take it,” Robinson said.

He'll mix documentation with anecdotal stories that will include references to northern Michigan politicians such as Sen. Jason Allen, R-Traverse City, and former Speaker of the House Rick Johnson of Leroy.

Despite the current state of campaign finance, which Robinson said is helping to turn Michigan "into a real backwater,” he remains optimistic the Legislature will enact laws to at least improve reporting requirements — if voters and taxpayers keep the heat on politicians.

"I hope his presentation generates interest and enthusiasm and a passion that moves people to act,” said League President Mary Grover.

The public is invited to attend the League's dinner at 5:30 p.m. at the Traverse City Golf and Country Club or Robinson's presentation at 7 p.m. The presentation is free but dinner requires advance reservations available by calling (231) 941-5240.