Proponents Argue It Rids the System of Special-Interest Money

What: Connecticut’s public campaign finance law, the first in the nation to be enacted by a state legislature, will be the subject of a Common Hour program entitled, “Connecticut’s Citizen Election Program: Amplifying The Voice of the People or Silencing Free Speech.” The panel discussion will be moderated by Political Science Professor Diana Evans and is open to the Trinity community.

When: Thursday, October 29 at 12:15 p.m.

Where: Second floor of Mather Hall on Trinity campus.

Background: Connecticut’s groundbreaking campaign finance law, which was enacted in 2005 and purge the system of lobbyist and special-interest money, will be the subject of a panel discussion by four people with strong opinions on the legality and effectiveness of the controversial law.

The participants include state Rep. Matthew Lesser, a Democrat from Middletown; state Rep. Gary Holder-Winfield, a Democrat from New Haven; Heath Fahle, policy director for the Yankee Institute for Public Policy, a libertarian think tank; and Kim Hynes, senior organizer for Common Cause of Connecticut.

Last year, the first year that the Citizens Election Fund was used, 78 percent of General Assembly candidates availed themselves of it, including Democrats and Republicans, even though most Republicans oppose the law and want it repealed. Most of the legislative hopefuls who did not participate in the program ran unopposed.

Essentially, the way the law works is this: A candidate for state office must raise a certain amount of money from a predetermined number of citizens. Once those two thresholds are reached, the candidate qualifies for public money. However, in order to receive the public money, a candidate must agree to limit his or her campaign expenditures.

In 2010, the law is being expanded to include candidates for governor and constitutional office, as well as for the General Assembly. However, recently a cloud has been cast over the law because U.S. District Judge Stefan Underhill struck it down as unconstitutional, saying it puts an unfair burden on minor party candidates by requiring them to meet a higher standard to qualify for the money.

Underhill has agreed to let the program remain in force while the state challenges his ruling before the U.S. 2nd Circuit of Appeals. Meanwhile, legislative leaders are considering calling the legislature into session to repair the law.

Another suggestion under consideration is eliminating a provision that requires the campaign finance law to revert to pre-2005 statutes if the program is still on hold on April 15, 2010.

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