Democracy 21 Statement on Senate Democratic Reform Package

It goes without saying that our campaign finance system is completely broken.

We haven’t seen this kind of big money flooding into our political system since the Robber Baron era.  According to data from the Center for Responsive Politics:

– The top ten donors and their spouses have given more than $100 million;

– Eighty-nine donors and their spouses have given at least $1 million each.

Meanwhile, a single donor is talking about giving as much as $100 million to support a presidential candidate. And we are just beginning the general election phase of the 2016 national campaign.

Our political system has become a political playpen for billionaires and multi-millionaires.On the other side are the American people who overwhelmingly object to the current campaign finance system.

Our organization applauds the national leadership being provided today by Senators Chuck Schumer, Sheldon Whitehouse, Tom Udall, Jeff Merkley and their Senate Democratic colleagues.

Senate Democrats are taking the campaign finance reform issue to the country and injecting it into the national debate that occurs in an election year. This is a very important development. Senate Democrats are beginning today what we know will be a very tough battle in Congress to reform the nation’s campaign finance laws.

I have been on the other side of Senate Majority Leader McConnell’s numerous efforts to block Senate consideration of any campaign finance reform legislation. Senator McConnell has won many fights to obstruct reform but he has also been beaten. He can and will be beaten again.

The kind of national leadership the Senate Democrats are providing and the active involvement of a rapidly growing national reform movement will be necessary to defeat yet another McConnell filibuster and to enact essential campaign finance reforms.

Democracy 21 is pleased to be a part of this battle to restore the integrity of our democracy.