Beyond the Network: Political reform news from around the country

Connecticut campaign finance laws rejected

The U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Connecticut should not be required to give extra public funds to a candidate running against a wealthy candidate, according to The New Haven Register.  A ban against lobbyists contributing to campaigns was also struck down.

According to The Hartford Courant,  Senate democrats are working to create a special session in response to the rulings.

Articles
Public campaign funding safe for now, but future still unclear - The Connecticut Mirror

Court tosses part of Conn. campaign funding law - New Haven Register

Fedele Gets Court Clearance To Spend $2 Million In Public Funds - Hartford Courant

Court nixes ban on Kentucky judicial party affiliations

According to the Associated Press, federal appeals court on Tuesday cleared the way for Kentucky judicial candidates to raise money and run with political party affiliations, but ordered a lower court to consider whether the candidates can offer specific positions on issues.

Hawaii to Test Public Money for an Election

Hawaii is moving forward with a test run of publicly financed political campaigns this year, despite a recent Supreme Court ruling against a similar setup in Arizona, according to the New York Times.

Exceptions for big groups undermine disclosure effort
A USA Today editorial argues the necessity to treat all special interest groups the same when it comes to lawmaking, including corporations and unions. This includes barring foreign corporations from running ads against American candidates and allowing public access to who is funding special interest groups.

Read Chris Van Hollen’s opposing view in the USA Today here.

Nirvana’s Krist Novoselic promotes election reform

Novoselic co-wrote an op-ed in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, condemning the current congressional redistricting process as “the worst of political blood sports.”

Read The Wall Street Journal’s take on the editorial.