Last week’s ruling by the Missouri Supreme Court striking down the bipartisan campaign finance reform provisions enacted last year is a reversal of Missouri’s intent to increase transparency and add sunlight to the flow of money in Missouri’s political process.

The intent of the Missouri Legislature in passing the common-sense campaign finance reform package was to correct flaws in the system that provided ample loopholes for money to filter in to the process—often unreported to Missourians.

As reported by the Columbia Daily Tribune in May 2006, Democratic Senator Tim Green said during debate of the legislation, “’What’s going on in this building is completely wrong, and it’s sick. But we can’t stop it. So why don’t we just let the people know who’s shuffling the money in? And that’s all I’m trying to do with this amendment.’” [h/t Jason Rosenbaum.]

The loopholes didn’t play political favorites or pick sides. In fact, the loopholes were exploited by both the Right and the Left, allowing unlimited and unregulated donations to Party committees, and other, shadowy political entities.

Once the money was “cleansed” through the organizations, they then made large donations to candidates making it impossible to track who gave and when. Democratic Senator Chuck Graham calls it a “wink-and-nod system.” Political organisms operating in the shadows is hardly the “Show-Me” mentality that Missourians deserve when it comes to political contributions. Read more…

Comments

comments