Giving Money Has Never Been Easier
Hey high-income readers, did you chafe this election season from the $2,000 maximum donation limit? Did creating multiple LLCs to help sidestep the donation cap cramp your style? Well, fear not, as you'll soon be able to write a check as big as you want to Almost Mayor Vince Gray or Almost Chairman Kwame Brown.
The council approved emergency legislation today allowing Gray and Brown to cover the costs of a transition government (like wages and supplies) through private donations, rather than using public funds.
When your city is $175 million in the red at the start of the fiscal year, not spending $250,000 on a mayoral transition and $150,000 on a chairmanship transition (as the Examiner's Freeman Klopott reports were the previous costs) seems reasonable.
But we have campaign financing regulations for a reason (whether those are good reasons is a separate debate). And this emergency legislation just opened up a giant loophole that makes those regulations seem pointless. After all, if you wrote Gray a fat check, would you care whether it was for the campaign or a transition? No, you'd expect the same amount of access either way.
Office of Campaign Finance spokesman Wesley Williams said his office wouldn't regulate or limit donations, nor would it receive reports on any money donated to a transition fund. (Williams said this issue has come up in the past and is currently looking for a copy of an old OCF opinion on the matter to share with LL.)
And do we want the very public work of planning for a new administration being underwritten by private interests who have money to spend on such things? Doesn't that seem a tad unseemly?
Klopott's reports that Gray was pretty tone deaf to skeptical reporters:
When asked about the lack of regulations monitoring the transition donations, Gray said they will be dealt with if they arise.
“You propose the questions that you think are problematic and we’ll address those,” Gray told reporters.
5:48 pm
I am afraid I don't see giving to a campaign and giving for the transition as the same thing. If I recall correctly, you are free to pay any amount of additional money when you pay your taxes as a donation to the city. If you gave money that way how much additional access would you gain to the mayor?
Of course, the checks should be made out to D.C, Treasurer.
6:26 pm
LL, what is the difference between this and the exploratory committee? Exploratory committees for a run for office can take in unlimited amounts too, and that is the law. Also, this is not much different for contributions to a presidential inaguration committee. Just let it go and be happy as a DC taxpayer that it is not coming out of your and my pocket unless we want to voluntarily give it. What a great idea!
9:31 pm
A campaign and a transition are both things that happen prior to an inauguration, right? They're both things that need be handled by a prospective officeholder, right? So, what's the legal difference?
Anyone?
There being none, why should one be constrained by campaign finance law and the other not?
This is just more wiggle room.
9:59 pm
Emergency legislation?
10:14 pm
Of course. Because ensuring we get the best government money can buy is an emergency.
10:17 pm
Hey, here's an idea that'll save DC taxpayers millions:
Pass emergency legislation allowing for private donors to cover the cost of city council member (and staff) salaries, as well as the cost of the mayor's salary (and his staff). Do the math, folks. Balance the budget overnight.
If it works in DC, why not nationally? Imagine the possibilities.
10:37 pm
Brilliant idea.
So long as my tax burden is lowered, or I can at least pretend it has been, why should I care?
5:46 am
@Truth Hurts:
If private donors held the purse strings to the salaries of elected officials, you would automatically put lobbyists out of business (K St ain't havin' that), because the donors could theoretically bypass the middle men and get straight to the lawmakers without pesky ethics issues like accepting gifts for influence.
How about we hold elected officials to similar standards as those teachers that Michelle Rhee fired? What if you hold elected officials accountable for their performance and have them refund their salaries, if they can't get the job done? For instance, the degree to which the Mayor and the DC Council balance the budget without compromising human services, reform the school system (incl special ed svc delivery), improve public safety, and pump up DC tourism should be the criteria by which the Mayor and the DC Council receive their salaries.
What do you think would happen if DC elected officials had to actually FULFILL their campaign promises...or become glorified volunteers? I bet people would start thinking like bootstrapping entrepreneurs to solve the problems at hand.
7:42 am
@ AMAMINUS: I hadn't considered the added benefit of putting lobbyists out of business. I'm guessing that prospect would motivate most lobbyists to lobby against it. Maybe we could bypass them by getting it on the ballot. Sorta like a referendum.
Your idea about tying elected officials' compensation to their performances measured against their campaign promises is great. But we can't allow the officials to grade themselves. (Mayor Williams tried a similar approach by offering performance based bonuses to his agency heads. Certain agency heads simply manipulated reporting data to make it appear they met projected targets. They collected the dough and moved on before the public caught on).
But maybe it'd work if the elected officials had to present their cases before retired judges, were bound by the rules of evidence, were subjected to cross-examination, and had to abide by the court's decision.
Hey, if we can dream it, why not do it.
9:26 am
TH and Drez- wow, you two sound like people who value accountability. Where were you both these past 4 years when Fenty and crew were running wild, rerouting City funds through different agencies so that no oversight was necessary or iffy donations to small towns in the Caribbean or funding millions to a shady non-profit or hiring campaign volunteers a week before a City-wide freeze or settling out of court so that no investigation could be made into some of these same practices. But, none of that matters now right?
Gray's opened the flood-gates for special interest right?
It doesn't matter that he's thinking about the City's budget and trying to figure out a reasonable solution.
9:42 am
ABM
It's a simple question. It right that private money should fund the operations of the highest local office? Yes or no?
If yes, should standard campaign finance disclosures apply? Because the bill has no such disclosure provisions.
9:50 am
Drez- would you feel the same way if it was Fenty. Yes or no?
10:33 am
SOUNDS LIKE DREZ AND TRUTH ARE JEALOUS THAT ONE CITY IS COMING IN THE DOOR LOOKING OUT FOR THE WELFARE OF THE CITY AS OPPOSED TO LOOKING OUT FOR THE WELFARE OF FRIENDS AND HOMEYS! DREZ IM SURE GRAY WOULDNT HAVE A PROBLEM LETTING FOLK KNOW WHERE HIS DONATIONS CAME FROM.
SEE THE PROBLEM IS YOU GOT FAKE ASS HACKS PUTTING SHIT IN THE GAME AND PLANTING SEEDS IN YOUR FEEBLE MIND "And do we want the very public work of planning for a new administration being underwritten by private interests who have money to spend on such things? Doesn’t that seem a tad unseemly?" ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS? A TAD UNSEEMLY? YOUR COLUMN IS UNSEEMLY TO INSINUATE THAT.
LOOK IF THEY HAVE THE FUNDS TO PAY FOR THEIR OWN TRANSITION THEN HAVE AT IT. CAUSE I LOOK AT LIKE GRAY AND KWAME PAYING FOR THE OVER PRICED AND ILL-ADVISED BARK PARK. SO WHY DONT YALL JUST SAY THANK YOU AND FIND SOMETHING ELSE TO BITCH AND MOAN ABOUT!
UNUS URBS!
10:36 am
Yes. I would.
I'm not at all convinced that the ~$400K of local tax dollars this is nominally intended to save is a large enough amount to further open the doors to private funding of EOM and Council operations. I believe it false economy.
I'm 100% sure that, if this is done, people need to insist on full compliance with regular campaign finance law.
Why on earth would anyone feel they are better off potentially having their government payed for by special interests, especially if those are not disclosed?
10:46 am
ABM
Also, at some point Gray's ethics will need stand and be judged on their own. Without using Fenty's ethics as a crutch. Excuses and distractions just don't have much of a shelf life. Unlike some (yawn) ongoing council investigations...
10:56 am
Drez- I highly doubt that you would. I would even argue that you would be the one bashing Noodlez and I for criticizing Fenty for this move (yes, we are fully aware of where our loyalties lie- take a cue). Also, where the fuck have you been living? I guess you are assuming the birthday bash/fundraiser held by Chris Donatelli for Fenty last December wasn't an event dominated by special interests or the $4 million war chest he amassed were all from small donations given by loyal residents.
You idiots are trying to take the high road now after years of fervently embracing some of the sleaziest behaviour this City has ever seen.
Here's a better idea- why doesn't Fenty use what's remaining in his war-chest towards the transition? Or how about this one- eliminate all of the new posiitons he recently created for his campaign volunteers. I'm certain this will exceed the $400k needed for the transition. Let's here from you why not...
A
11:36 am
ABM
I can appreciate your cynicism. But fundraising operates under certain rules and restrictions for a reason. And introducing emergency legislation to change those in one's favor simply doesn't pass the smell test. Regardless of the nominal reason one gives for doing so.
In any event, this is something that Gray wants to do that Fenty declined to do, so we'll never know. And, as far as Fenty running the "sleaziest" administration ever, there have been many investigations, and not one single investigation has turned up any illegality. I still maintain that they amounted to partisan BS, but who knows. I mean, one is still ongoing, right?
Again, Gray's ethics (and Fenty's ethics) need stand on their own, and Gray is frankly not off to a good start IMO, what with emergency legislation, campaigning on school property, his campaign manager, etc. All this and he's not even in office yet.
drez
12:03 pm
No disclosure for donations? Wow. I believe that's called Pay to Play.
1:10 pm
You are damned if you do and damned if you don't with these citizens. Gray is trying not to spend Govt. money on the transition and people are still bit*****.