The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for March 29, 2023
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
BallotPedia – Arizona Proposition 211, Campaign Finance Sources Disclosure Initiative (2022)
Stop Dark Money AZ – Voters’ Right to Know Initiative
New York Assembly – S. 1101/A 776 LLC Disclosure Bill
Brennan Center for Justice – A Chance to Finally Close the LLC Loophole
Democracy Docket – Minnesota’s Democracy for the People Act Unpacked
Minnesota Legislature – HF3 Democracy for the People Act Status
National Conference of State Legislatures – State Campaign Contribution Limits
Groups Taking Action:
Stop Dark Money AZ, Fair Elections NY, Common Cause NY, People for the American Way, We Choose Us MN
Today’s Script: (Variations occur with audio due to editing for time)
You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.
Our series this week on Dark Money showed how operatives use nonprofit organizations and Limited Liability Corporations to funnel anonymous cash into our elections. We know it’s bad, but what’s being done about it?
In November, Arizona voters passed the Voters’ Right to Know Act by a 72% vote. It requires groups or corporations spending money over a certain threshold in local or statewide elections to disclose donors over $5,000. As we’ve reported, Americans for Prosperity is challenging it in federal court, and other groups in state court.
In 2019, New York enacted a bill, which requires member shareholders of LLCs making political donations to disclose their names, and apply that amount to the individual’s campaign donation limits. But until 2023, it had not been enforced, and as we reported, those rules may have been ignored in the 2022 governor’s race.
Twenty-two states have banned any corporate contributions DIRECTLY to a candidate. But five states allow UNLIMITED contributions, and most remaining states still allow corporations to donate at the individual’s limit.
The Minnesota legislature is considering the Democracy for the People Act, a sweeping voting access and anti-corruption package, which includes disclosure measures similar to NY and Arizona. And the re-introduction of the federal Freedom to Vote Act is expected in the coming weeks. Exposing Dark Money can’t come soon enough.
We have articles and groups taking action at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
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