Reform Groups Urge Senators to Support Sen. Mark Udall’s Bill to Reform the Presidential Public Financing System
In a letter sent today to all Senators, reform groups expressed strong support for legislation introduced today by Senator Mark Udall (D-CO) to repair the presidential public financing system.
The groups include Americans for Campaign Reform, Brennan Center for Justice, Campaign Legal Center, Common Cause, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, Democracy 21, League of Women Voters, People For the American Way, Public Campaign, Public Citizen and U.S PIRG.
Companion legislation to repair the presidential financing system has also been introduced in the House by Representatives David Price (D-NC), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Walter Jones (R-NC) that was also supported by our groups.
According to the letter:
This past Sunday marked the 40th anniversary of the burglary at the Watergate Hotel which ultimately unveiled the worst political and campaign finance scandals of the 20th century. The scandals revealed massive corruption associated with the financing of President Nixon’s re-election campaign in 1972.
The letter further states:
The presidential public financing system served the country and presidential candidates of both parties well for most of its existence. It empowered citizens to play a central role in the financing of presidential elections and effectively protected against the government corruption that had been at the core of the Watergate campaign finance scandals.
The letter states:
The legislation introduced today by Senator Udall would repair the presidential system and make it once again a viable alternative for presidential candidates. In a campaign finance system now dominated by special interest influence-money, due in good part to the disastrous Citizens United decision, an alternative financing system based on engaging and empowering citizens by matching their small contributions with multiple public funds is essential.
The letter concludes:
2012 has seen a return of unlimited contributions,secret money and corporate funds to our elections, the same kind of money that led to the Watergate scandals. The nation needs a modernized presidential public financing system focused on average citizens and small donors to provide presidential candidates with a viable alternative to influence-seeking political money.
