| UPDATE 3/29/2019 - Gov. Jim Justice has approved a bill raising campaign contribution limits in West Virginia political races.
The bill almost triples the amount that individuals can donate to candidates from $1,000 to $2,800. It also boosts the amount a person can give to a state party executive committee to $10,000 and allows for $5,000 donations to political action committees.
Opponents have argued against allowing more money in political races and called for greater transparency on donors.
Such actions along with the US Supreme Court Citizens Unit case, the sky could be the limit.
DEMOCRATS ASK GOV. JUSTICE TO VETO REPUBLICAN BILL THAT INCREASES CAMPAIGN MONEY LIMITS
UPDATE 3/20/2019 -
Legislators, mostly Democrats, from the State Senate and House of Delegates joined together today to call on Governor Jim Justice to veto Senate Bill 622, the campaign finance reform bill recently passed by the Legislature.
Senator Glenn Jeffries (D-Putnam), Richard Lindsay (D-Kanawha), Delegate Andrew Byrd (D-Kanawha), Delegate Joe Canestraro (D-Marshall), Delegate Amanda Estep-Burton (D-Kanawha), Delegate Cindy Lavender-Bowe (D-Greenbrier), Delegate Mike Pushkin (D-Kanawha), Delegate Andrew Robinson (D-Kanawha) and Delegate Doug Skaff (D-Kanawha) are asking Governor Justice to veto the bill that significantly increases numerous the caps on campaign contributions to individuals and political action committees (PACs).
The bill would also allow Federal PACs to continue receiving contributions from undisclosed donors, one of the major sources for political money.
“The last thing that we need in campaigns is more negative mailers and commercials,” Delegate Cindy Lavender-Bowe stated. “This is the wrong direction if we want to encourage West Virginians to be a part of the process.”
“Not one time during the campaign did I hear constituents ask for there to be more money in politics,” Delegate Andrew Byrd added. “This bill should not have been a priority for the West Virginia Legislature when our state faces so many other issues that need and deserve our attention.”
WOW! LEGISLATURE RAISES AMOUNTS OF CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS - "Corporations Are People Too"
A FORWARD MOVING OLIGARCHY
3/13/2019 - The WV Legislature got on board to increase the flow of corporate money by increasing the amount of donations allowed to their campaigns, and all WV candidates.
In a 2010 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission case, the court ruled that campaign contribution limits would restrict the right to free speechâtheir interpretation of the Constitution is that wealthy corporations, unions and other organizations should be able to spend unlimited amounts of money on political advertising.
"Corporations are people too," was the slogan.
More money means more free speech?
A bill to raise West Virginia campaign finance limits to match federal levels, often nicknamed the "dark money bill," generated long debate at the end of the long Friday House of Delegates floor session.
SB 622 raises donations to party executive committees from $2,000 to $10,000. And donations to PACs rise from $1,000 to $5,000. It allows something new: joint fundraising events for candidates, with the proceeds split evenly. It prohibits donations from foreign nationals.
Members took up a number of amendments. Delegate Andrew Byrd, D-Kanawha, proposed to reduce the donation limits to current levels: $1,000, $2,000 and $1,000.
"None of our constituents asked us, when we were campaigning, we want more money in campaigns," he said. Single-member districts approved last year were meant to allow for cheaper campaigns and more contact with constituents.
Judiciary vice-chair Moore Capito, R-Kanawha, said the stateâs campaign contributions limits havenât been updated for 30 years. The low levels require candidates to be fundraising more than meeting with constituents.
Delegate Mike Pushkin, D-Kanawha, responded that the stateâs low campaign funding levels are something to proud of. He supported the amendment.
The amendment failed 42-55.
One to require disclosure of donors to caucus committees, which assist candidate campaigns, failed 41-56.
Another attempted to require disclosure of "dark money" covered transfers of $10,000 or more (where donors are hidden by giving to intermediary committees). Capito noted that this wouldnât include donors to such organizations as the NRA or the Sierra Club. It failed 41-56.
Byrd proposed another to apply the new limits only to statewide races, not local House and Senate races. That led to a long debate about limiting the voice of small-dollar donors and what Pushkin called "dialing for dollars." It failed 41-56.
The judiciary amendment passed 56-41. Going into the vote on the amended bill, Delegate Barbara Evans Fleischauer, D-Monongalia, said, "We are opening the floodgates to out-of-state money into our legislative races. This is horrible public policy."
Delegate Doug Skaff, D-Kanawha, said heâd been conflicted on the bill, because heâs had success raising money. But he opposes it now.
Addressing his colleagues, he said, if you say money doesnât influence how you think about and act on issues, "Youâre absolutely lying."
Delegate Terry Waxman, R-Harrison, said she didnât run for the big donors; people asked her to run to change policies in the state and move it forward.
Delegate Tom Azinger, R-Wood, said that in his recent campaign, he raised $10,000 compared to his opponentâs $66,000. In the 2014 Senate race, the Democrat raised $200,000 compared to the winning Republicanâs $50,000. "Money doesnât win elections, votes do."
It passed, 53-44 and returned to the Senate. Delegate Isaac Sponaugle, D-Pendleton, moved to title it "The Bought and Paid for Act of 2019." There were chuckles, then it failed 38-59.
Secretary of State Republican Mac Warner praised passage of the bill.
"West Virginianâs access to public campaign finances of candidates and political spending is instrumental for voters choices when exercising the democratic principles of our Republic," he said.
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