Continuing coverage of the League of Women Voters Candidates’ Night for those seeking State Senate seats looking at answers to the question of campaign contributions.
And the candidates had a minute to answer the question
My notes are below:
32nd District
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Republican Craig Wilcox – need transparency in government and compliance with the Open Meetings Act.
- Democrat Mary Mahady – more transparency. Wants campaign finance reporting to show who contracts are given to. Legislators should abstain from voting if contributor benefiting.
33rd District
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Republican Don DeWitte – pointed out that anyone can look at who gives what. Said that the law is very clear about conflicts of interest. “If one has a fiduciary interest,” required to abstain or recuse oneself.
- Democrat Nancy Zettler – “Get rid or dark money in this state. ” She specifically mentioned Dan Proft and complained that “candidates get to pretend there’s no coordination with candidates.” Finally, “need a lot more cracking down at the state and local level.”
26th District
- Republican Dan McConchie – “What’s corrupt is that $5,600” is the maximum than an individual can contribute to a candidate, but “Mike Madigan can get get $1 million, $10 million, $20 million and he uses that money to [force candidates to support his agenda]. It doesn’t allow any individual to go out and raise enough money to run a campaign.”
- Democrat Tom Georges – referred to an “unfair system, an unfair playing field.”
Zettler read another Harry Potter book and got scared.
No ‘dark money’ secret societies here.
Just a lot of bad Democrat Public Policy and people finally calling them out on it all.