ACTION: Write your Assembly Member to ask them to pass CMCE in 2007
Citizen Action NY is pushing statewide for Clean Money Clean Elections to become a reality in NY. MetroJustice is partnering with them for the Rochester area. If you believe only the wealthy and those good at begging for money should be able to run for office, ignore this post. If you think voters should get a choice based on candidates’ merits and ideas, then click here to send a friendly note to your Assy member.
Gov-elect Spitzer is a big supporter of CMCE, and just took the step of “unilaterally disarming” in terms of his own and his staff’s fundraising:
Moving swiftly in his efforts to change the culture of Albany, Governor-elect Eliot Spitzer said Thursday that he would unilaterally stop accepting campaign contributions greater than $10,000, which is less than a fifth of the $50,100 in individual donations currently allowed by state law.
Mr. Spitzer also said that from now on he would refuse to take advantage of several notorious loopholes in the state’s campaign finance laws that allow corporations and limited liability companies to circumvent donation limits by contributing through subsidiaries and other related entities.
In addition, he unveiled a series of ethics rules for members of his administration, including a pledge that neither he nor his aides would hold fund-raisers in Albany during the legislative session. That is prime fund-raising time for politicians here, since they are always able to corral lobbyists to attend their events.
The changes would be seismic for Albany, where Gov. George E. Pataki has sometimes proposed reforms but has not agreed to abide by them unilaterally. Mr. Spitzer said he hoped the Legislature would follow his lead by passing far-reaching laws that would eventually apply to all state officials and candidates.
Seismic changes. Hear that, everyone who complains Albany is messed up? I dare you — no, I double dog dare you– to walk your talk and click the link to contact your Assy member. It’s quick, easy, and feels really good once you do it. C’mon, they even figure out who your Assy member is for you.
[...] RT, and MetroJustice have been advocating for CMCE for some time. Spitzer’s on board, his [...]