The Democratic Chairwoman of the Federal Election Commission (FEC) is pushing to federalize state and local elections with new rules that would impose Washington fundraising restrictions on ballot initiatives where money comes from other states or countries.
Speaking to California's Capital Public Radio, Ann Ravel was asked about "dark money" in nonfederal elections. As a prior California Election Chief, she said a 2012 state case involving anonymous donors has influenced her view of federal involvement. "That case influenced my views about the FEC and what the FEC should be doing," says Ravel.
Some states have and are tightening donor rules, but others haven't and Ravel seems to see a federal role there. "It is really important for there to be a federal solution to the problem and really robust disclosure on the federal level," she said in comments that have raised eyebrows in GOP circles.
Ravel, concerned about foreign money being used in a California ballot initiative, recently tried to rewrite FEC rules to give the agency an expanded role. She would have redefined the word "elections" to include ballot initiatives, not just candidate contests.
In a September memo, she wrote, "I have become increasingly concerned that there are not sufficient protections against foreign national involvement in American elections. This is particularly evident in state and local ballot measures."
Her proposal: "Direct the Office of General Counsel to draft a notice of proposed rulemaking to define the term 'election' for the purposes of the ban on foreign national contributions and expenditures, 52 U.S.C. § 30121, to include state and local ballot measures."
But Republican commissioners have noted that federal election laws focus only on candidate elections, not ballot initiatives like Ravel's target. And in the case of California, the state has already decided on the issue.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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