The reconfigured Obama campaign, Organization for Action (OFA), is getting involved in a fight for campaign finance reform in New York. It plans a conference call with grassroots supporters on Wednesday to urge action in the fight.
OFA will send an email to its list. The email references New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's Fair Election Campaign and New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, will also be on the call. It marks an early, post-presidential election endeavor by OFA, which is just beginning to pick battles to engage in.
"In New York Elections, the voice of the public is being drowned out. Contributions from special interests, lobbyist, and corporations are far to influential. Disclosure is inadequate, and enforcement of the laws currently on the books is to lax." the email says.
Currently New York has two systems. New York City has tough campaign finance limits and a public matching funds system. The rest of the state has a very lenient system with 10 times the New York City limits. Gov. Cuomo would like to have one system and use the New York City system as its model.
As an interesting side-note, a New York City Mayoral candidate went to court to challenge the New York City limits and accepted campaign donations at the state limit. A judge hadn't decided the case but made the candidate put his donations into a court ordered escrow account so he could not use the donations. Today he gave up and joined the public matching funds system and returned the escrow donations to the donors. They now can donate at the smaller limits.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!
Michael H. Drucker
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