Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 14, 1991 TAG: 9102140500
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Oh, there's been an advance of sorts this year: A bill now on Gov. Wilder's desk would end the use of state political parties as conduits for campaign contributions cloaked in secrecy.
Currently, contributors who wish to stay anonymous may do so by giving money to a candidate's political party, in the understanding it will be passed on to the candidate. The candidate's campaign must list the contribution, but can do so simply as a contribution from the party.
Under the change approved by the assembly, the state parties themselves also would have to report the source of contributions of more than $100. But:
The assembly failed to include in the disclosure bill similar reporting requirements for congressional-district and local party organizations.
Such disclosures, though recommended in 1989 by a legislative subcommittee, were not included in the bill as introduced. A proposed amendment to include congressional-district party organizations came to naught.
Far be it from us to suggest that failure to close this loophole might be linked to the fact that legislators run in relatively small districts, where contributions can be conveniently funneled through lower-level party organizations.
The assembly failed to expand the contribution-reporting requirement to include "any organized political party group of elected officials" - that is, the assembly's Democratic and Republican caucuses.
As introduced, the bill would have covered the caucuses. But surprise, surprise: A House of Delegates amendment, agreed to by the Senate, deleted the caucuses from any requirement to disclose contributors.
Far be it from us to suggest that the legislators wouldn't mind assuming the onerous duty, which the state parties are to lose, of laundering political mystery-money.
The assembly also failed to give serious consideration to a bill, sponsored by Sen. Virgil Goode of Rocky Mount, putting a ceiling on contributions to Virginia political campaigns, both statewide and legislative.
Incumbent legislators as a rule, by virtue of their incumbency, benefit more than challengers from limitless contributions.
Far be it from us to suggest that these legislators, having won office under the existing rules, are unlikely on their own to show much interest in reforms that would alter those rules.
The key is for the voters to force lawmakers to get interested, by rewarding and punishing at the ballot box - and by refusing to be fooled by "reform" legislation that barely deserves the name.
by CNB