So much for Connecticut’s landmark campaign finance program to stem the influence of money. Never has more dough flooded state political campaigns. In addition to the $6.5 million in public funds the respective major party candidates for governor have already received, several million more dollars (and counting) influence the race, courtesy of independent and party expenditures.
The millions in extra loot is fueled by a U.S. Supreme Court ruling a few years ago that allows unlimited expenditures by a person or organization in the cause to elect or defeat a candidate. In Connecticut, you can spend as much as you want in that effort as long as it’s not a coordinated effort. In other words, Joe Blow can spend all he wants to elect Haystacks Haywire, so long as they’re not talking to each other about it.
State parties have also figured out a way to spend more on campaigns outside of the Citizens Election Program supervised by the State Elections Enforcement Commission.
Neil Vigdor of Hearst Connecticut Newspapers has more on this:
Dan Malloy and Tom Foley are getting by with a little help from their friends–and then some.
In the case of the Democratic incumbent Malloy, it’s two of the nation’s most powerful unions, which this week directed $1.25 million to a super PAC opposing Foley in the governor’s race.
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) gave $900,000 to the group Connecticut Forward Wednesday in a bid to help Malloy stave off Foley’s challenge, new campaign filings show.
Full story here.
How can anyone believe a clean and clear Election process takes place when money drives the effort to this degree?
Maid: Goodness! Look at those diamonds!
Mae West: Goodness had nothing to do with it, dearie.
(I believe it was the movie: Come Up and See Me Sometime.)
It ain’t about the Ching, Ka Ching Ka Ching. It ain’t about the Bling, Ba Bling Ba Bling! Wanna make the world dance? Forget about the price tag! 🙂