Campaign Finance Reform

This page was last updated on

01.10.07

CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM

BACKGROUND -- Initiative 134, sponsored by corporate and right-wing conservative interests, passed in 1992. The "public face" of its campaign was to reduce special-interest influence on government by imposing campaign contribution limits to statewide and state legislative races.

What wasn’t included in the public campaign on behalf of I-134 was language that targeted unions and aimed to reduce their political activity. It set out to require public-sector unions to get annual written reauthorization to divert any portion of dues to political spending. But its vague language and subsequent interpretation have been the subject of more than a decade of legal wrangling—most notably between Washington Education Association (the K-12 teachers' union) and the Evergreen Freedom Foundation (a right-wing think tank). One of those cases is now before the U.S. Supreme Court.

LABOR'S POSITION -- In recent years, the Washington State Labor Council has sought reforms to clarify the law and level the playing field. Unions were outspent 17-to-1 by business interests in the 2006 elections, according to the Center for Responsive Politics (www.opensecrets.org). Corporations have no mechanism for shareholders to opt out of political activity, as union members already have under federal law. Therefore, it is unfair -- and probably unconstitutional -- to put up additional barriers at the state level for union members to participate in the political process.

Here are the issues that need to be addressed and the principles of reform supported by the Washington State Labor Council:

While some call for the removal of all "special interest" money in our election campaigns in Washington state, the labor movement stands firmly in opposition to these proposals. The current contribution limit for a state legislative race is $700 for the primary and $700 for the general election. Many, if not most, mid- and upper-level managers in the business community can easily afford to write checks of this size. However, most union members cannot afford to make even a contribution of $50 without it stretching their budgets. Given the reality that business interests already outspend labor by 17-1, these proposals would significantly tip the balance even more in favor of rich individuals, businesses and corporations.
The mission of the Public Disclosure Commission in Washington state is to provide easy access to the public on what individuals and groups are financially supporting candidates and ballot measures. The other function of the PDC is to investigate allegations of breaking the campaign finance laws or exceeding campaign contribution limits and, upon finding the allegations to be true, issue penalties against the individuals and/or groups who broke the law.

But many believe that the Public Disclosure Commission has veered from its original mission by trying to impose "policy" in the elections arena. Our founders created the legislative and executive branch to enact laws dealing with public policy. The WSLC believes it’s time to review the original mission of the Public Disclosure Commission and get it back on track.
Many in the State of Washington were surprised by the amount of money raised and spent in the 2006 races for Washington State Supreme Court and Court of Appeals. Proposals are flying fast and furiously on how to "fix" this. Several proposals involve public financing of non-partisan judicial races. While setting up a system of public financing has positive aspects, it is only a Band Aid. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that money is a form of free speech and, therefore, cannot be prohibited entirely. Therefore, we will never rid electoral politics of money flowing in the form of "independent expenditures." That said, the WSLC is willing to work with elected officials on ways to improve our state’s campaign financing system.

The bottom line, however, is that as long as money is considered free speech in this country, organized labor will do everything in its power to ensure that working people and the organizations who represent them are not disadvantaged further by even the most well-intentioned campaign finance proposals.

Return to the WSLC Legislative Issues Index