Democracy

Today WashPIRG Foundation and Demos released a new analysis of the funding sources for the campaign finance behemoths, Super PACs. The findings confirmed what many have predicted in the wake of the Supreme Court’s damaging Citizens United decision: since their inception in 2010, Super PACs have been primarily funded by a small segment of very wealthy individuals and business interests, with a small but significant amount of funds coming from secret sources.

On Saturday the Washington Public Interest Research Group (WashPIRG) will be recognized for its work on campaign finance disclosure and other elections-related legislation during the 2011 Legislature.

Governor Gregoire today is expected to sign legislation that was originally intended to curb campaign finance abuses in Washington, although the bill presented to her contains significantly fewer limits on abuses than it started with.

After rejecting a slew of amendments that would have gutted the intentions of legislation to strengthen state campaign finance disclosure regulations, the House unanimously passed Senate Bill-5021 this afternoon.

Rep. David Taylor (R-Moxie) has introduced three amendments that would neuter legislation to increase campaign finance disclosure requirements currently under consideration before the state House of Representatives.

A state senator who has accepted at least $2,400 in campaign contributions from one of the state’s largest healthcare providers is behind an amendment to deny consumers access to information on why their healthcare premiums are going up.