Assembly Democrats Propose Constitutional Amendment On Campaign Finance

Democratic state legislators are trying out a new strategy in their effort to block Republican plans to rewrite campaign finance laws: amending the state constitution.

Last week, Assembly Democrats tried and failed to amend a Republican bill that allows for unlimited corporate contributions to political parties. Rep. Steve Doyle, D-Onalaska, said Wednesday that a constitutional amendment they’re now proposing would bar legislators from changing campaign finance rules in a way that benefits their own re-election committees in an election year.

“If people are going to mess with the law as it relates to campaign finance, the voters should have a chance to say, ‘Wait a minute — we want to make sure that you’re not just looking out for your own self-interest,” said Doyle.

Republicans say legislators have an obligation to update campaign finance laws so they comply with recent federal court rulings that have removed most limits on political contributions.

The proposed constitutional amendment must pass in two consecutive legislative sessions and then go to the voters before taking effect. That means the proposed change, even if approved, wouldn’t take effect until 2017, and would not affect the current campaign finance rewrite that goes to the floor of the state Senate on Friday.

The Senate version of the bill will include changes from the version that passed in the Assembly, so the bill would need further legislative action if approved Friday.

Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca of Kenosha said unless the bill includes a ban on voting on campaign finance legislation that benefits a legislator’s re-election campaign committee, lawmakers should recuse themselves from voting. He said there is already a provision that bars legislators from voting on their own salary increases until after they have been re-elected.

“We think it is wrong to be able to pass legislation before you’ve been re-elected to enhance your chance to win re-election — to basically feather your own nest,” said Barca.

Democrats in the Assembly indeed abstained from voting on the initial version of the bill.