TOWNSHEND — It is fair to say that my position on campaign finance reform has not made me popular in the Statehouse, but I have heard from a number of constituents (and other Vermonters) who agree with me.
To her credit, my colleague, Sen. Jeanette White, has been consistent in her opposition to banning corporate campaign contributions. However, I don't think her arguments hold water.
The proposed ban does not affect the ability of small Vermont businesses to make contributions. All business owners would need to do is make an owners' draw from the business and then write a check from their personal account.
The problem is the large corporations that make donations from their corporate treasuries. These companies almost always support incumbents, and they constituted some 30 percent of the contributions to Gov. Peter Shumlin's re-election campaign in 2012 and as much as 90 percent of the contributions to some Senate candidates.
While it is easy to say they have no influence, one then wonders why they make the contributions. The largest contributors in recent years have been the bottlers, the wholesale beverage industry, and Casella Waste Management, all of which oppose expanding the bottle bill. Efforts to do so have been stymied.
Worse, the pending campaign finance bill legalizes cheating. A wealthy donor can evade the limits by contributing from his personal account and each of his business accounts - even if he is the sole owner of the business or if the business is only a shell. Sen. White successfully opposed an amendment that would have counted all the business contributions against the individual limit.
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Finally, I dispute the notion that disagreement is being disrespectful. Sen. White described a bill she opposed (and which the Senate adopted) as a “travesty.” I respect her right to articulate that view.
I stand by my view that the campaign finance bill is a sham because the limits are not real. I also believe it is hypocrisy to call for a constitutional amendment to get corporate money out of politics and then want to preserve one's own corporate contributions.
However, I never called anyone a hypocrite. Perhaps this is splitting hairs, but condemning a sin is not the same as calling someone a sinner.
In Montpelier, every special interest has its voice and these voices are amplified by campaign contributions. Lobbyists even participate in committee markups of legislation, often speaking more than the elected senators.
Our job should be to represent the ordinary Vermonters who cannot sit in the room all day.