O’Malley Issues Strong Campaign Finance Reform Plan, But Fails to Address Presidential Financing

Former Governor Martin O’Malley issued a strong campaign finance reform plan today that addresses a number of  important campaign finance issues.

They include creating a public financing system for congressional races based on matching small contributions and addressing the dysfunctional campaign finance enforcement system by restructuring and strengthening the Federal Election Commission and making enforcement a federal priority. They also include legislation to close the disclosure loopholes that are allowing huge amounts of secret contributions into federal elections and strengthening the rules that prohibit coordination between candidates and outside spending groups.

The plan, however, does not address a key campaign finance problem facing the country – the way in which our presidential elections are financed. Thus, the plan fails to propose a much needed new public financing system for presidential elections.