New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders said Wednesday they are no longer pursuing a broad overhaul of New York state's campaign-finance laws, which allow some of the highest donations to politicians in the nation.
The issue suddenly fizzled in June after dominating much of the state's political conversation. So, who killed a campaign-finance overhaul this year? It depends on whom you ask.
In an interview, New York state Sen. Jeffrey D. Klein, the co-leader of a power-sharing arrangement between Democrats and Republicans, laid the blame squarely on the Working Families Party.
Mr. Cuomo's aides pointed to comments from the governor in May lamenting the Conservative Party's influence over Republicans.
Working Families Party (WFP) officials said Mr. Klein and Senate Republicans were the barrier to a taxpayer-funded system of paying for political campaigns. "They've had six months to get it done, and they haven't," said Austin Shafran, a WFP spokesman.
The Legislature passed a state budget that included public financing pilot for just the state comptroller's race. The measure was widely panned by advocates of a campaign-finance overhaul.
A last-ditch meeting was planned for Monday on public-financing of campaigns, said officials involved in the negotiations. Over the weekend, the talk was abruptly canceled.
The fight will continue.
Voters need to find candidates in the upcoming primary for state offices who will champion this issue.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!
Michael H. Drucker
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