State lawmakers have left campaign finance legislation in limbo at the state Capitol as the 2002 legislative session draws to a close. Little possibility exists for Gov. Scott McCallum or the state Legislature to act on campaign finance reform.
No compromise has been reached thus far between two reform bills; one a piece of Senate legislation, the other from the Assembly.
“The governor supports campaign finance reform, and if the legislature gives him a bill, he will sign,” Tim Roby, spokesman for McCallum, said.
The prominent Senate bill would set new spending limits for candidates and would adjust public financing levels. The Assembly legislation, AB 843, would allow candidates to raise spending limits to match their opponents’ spending levels.
In light of the deadlock, Wisconsin non-partisan citizen advocacy groups that back the reform bills blame legislators.
“Without campaign finance reform, the next gubernatorial race could cost candidates and outside organizations $30 million,” Executive Director of Common Cause of Wisconsin Jay Heck said.
But the near future looks dim for a legislative compromise on the issue. Major reform advocates — including most Senate Democrats and Republicans, and even Assembly Democrats — endorsed SB 104, according to the Senate majority leader.
“Assembly Republicans are the only ones with a different plan. The Assembly has not agreed to meet with us,” Mike Brown, spokesperson for Sen. Chuck Chvala, D-Madison, said.
SB 104 and AB 843 are the furthest that legislation has ever come in proposing campaign finance reform.
“We’ve come a long way, only to fall short at the last moment,” Heck said. “There is a chance to still salvage something. Most people think we need campaign finance reform; unfortunately, [Rep. Scott] Jensen, [R-Waukesha], squandered the opportunity.”
Chvala said he would support an extraordinary session, but Jensen has refused the Senate’s resolution to form a conference committee on the issue.
“[Chvala] has once again chosen to play political games,” Jensen said. “It has been increasingly tiresome for the Assembly? to hear the Senate Democrats blame us for their own unwillingness to act? [The Senate Democrats’] call for an extraordinary session on the issue is extraordinarily disingenuous.”
Both the Senate and the Assembly are pointing fingers and blaming each other for the stall in the bills’ passage. Even partisan groups are pointing fingers.
“Speaker Jensen refused to appoint members,” Heck said. “Jensen hid behind parliamentary procedure.”
Further complications arise for this issue due to the legislative caucus scandal, which has brought to issue how party caucuses may have used state funds for individual campaign work.
“As the Dane County District Attorney grants more and more people immunity [in the caucus scandal], a driving need for reform exists,” Heck said. “If the District Attorney issues criminal charges, there will be renewed momentum for campaign finance reform.”
