Senator Judith G. Freedman (R-26) voted against a campaign finance reform measure that she said is not so much reform as it is a vehicle for politicians to bill taxpayers for the cost of their election campaigns.

                “This bill is a sham. It makes it possible – some would say pretty easy – for major political candidates to tap into tax dollars to pay for their campaigns, but close to impossible for third-party candidates to qualify for public funding. And these all so important reforms do not take effect until after the next legislative elections. If this bill is so important, then why are the Democrats willing to wait until after the next election to implement it. After all, it’s not like they just started looking at this issue,” said Senator Freedman.

                Senator Freedman, ranking member of the legislature’s Government Administration & Elections Committee, noted that Democrat majority leadership have been stalling on passing meaningful legislation since earlier this year when Governor M. Jodi Rell and Republican legislators agreed to support public financing in return of a bill that truly reforms the process by immediately banning special interest contributions - all special interest contributions - to political candidates.

                “Personally, I never liked the idea of asking the taxpayers to foot the bill for my, or any, election campaign. But Republicans agreed to accept public financing as a part of true reform legislation. Like everything else the Democrats have proposed regarding this issue, this bill does not meet the standards of true reform. True reform does not mean locking some people out of the process, and opening the door to others,” said Senator Freedman.

                Nevertheless, Senator Freedman proposed amendments that, had they passed, would have significantly improved the bill.

                “Unfortunately, proponents of this legislation refused to support my amendments to close loopholes. The bill we passed will allow for a steady flow of money into campaigns that is greater than we currently permit,” said Senator Freedman, adding that Connecticut taxpayers will be shocked when they see just how much money political candidates can get for their campaigns under the Democrats’ bill.

                “This is bad public policy,” said Senator Freedman.