Nation's Strongest Campaign Finance Bill Passes in Connecticut

The people of Connecticut will now have a government that reports to them and not to whatever lobbyist or interest group that contributes the most money to their state or local representative. Taking the corruption out of politics is such a no-brainer it's hard to fathom why there is any resistance to this type of reform at all. Yeah, I know, it's a 'free speech' issue. Limiting fat-cats and corporations from buying off corrupt politicians infringes on their right to freely express themselves... ....Poor babies.....

"At the national level, we are seeing the most outrageous string of pay-to-play scandals in a generation," wrote Nick Nyhart, co-founder and Executive Director of Public Campaign, on TPMCafe. "Unfortunately, in Congress, no one is focusing on the kinds of reforms that would shift power away from well-healed lobbying interests." At the state level, however, it's a different story. On Wednesday night, after seven hours of debate, the Connecticut Senate voted 27 to 8 in favor of passing the most comprehensive campaign finance reform bill in the country. The breakthrough legislation comes on the heels of a deeply damaging corruption scandal in Connecticut, where former Governor John Rowland is serving a one-year prison sentence for accepting gifts from state contractors. Taking effect in December of 2006, the bill bans political contributions from lobbyists and state contractors and creates a publicly funded election system that encompasses all statewide races. What's truly remarkable about Connecticut is that, for the first time, a legislature passed a campaign finance bill that affects its own seats. "It will truly make Connecticut's elections about the voters and not about the donors," said Sen. Gary LeBeau, D-East Hartford.