Lawmakers Debate Public Campaign Finance
by Christine Stuart | June 26, 2009 7:19 PM
Posted to State Capitol
A Democratic legislator introduced an amendment to the budget bill Friday which would have eliminated the Citizens Election Fund - a fund that already is credited with helping political newcomers run for office.
The Citizens Election Fund is the state’s public campaign finance fund, which provides a campaign grant to candidates who raise enough small qualifying contributions.
The legislator, Rep. Corky Mazurek, D-Wolcott, said his position has always been that the $61 million in the fund for the next two years could be better used to help fund programs, “instead of running our campaigns.” Mazurek’s amendment would have turned back the clock on campaign fundraising by allowing both lobbyists and political action committees to contribute to campaigns. Even though the amendment was defeated 37-98, Mazurek said he hopes the discussion continues.
Mazurek said when people are sitting around figuring out how they will pay their bills he doesn’t know how state lawmakers can ask them to pay for their bumperstickers and backscratchers. The money for the Citizens Election Fund comes from the sale of abandoned state property and other unclaimed state assets.
“Democracy is not owned by the people in this room,” Rep. Chris Caruso, D-Bridgeport, said. He said the reason the public campaign financing system was set up in the first place was to rid the system of corruption and special interests that helped send former Gov. John G. Rowland to prison.
Caruso said the state of Connecticut spent millions of dollars cleaning up the mess created by the former campaign system, which protected incumbents.
“We incumbents do not own this chamber,” Caruso said.
At one point, Caruso accused Mazurek of introducing the amendment because he was almost defeated by a challenger who had taken advantage of the new public campaign finance system in the last election.
Mazurek said he’s always opposed the Citizens Election Fund.
Mazurek voted in favor of his amendment to dismantle the Citizens Election Fund and was joined by all but one member of the Republican caucus and three of his Democratic colleagues, Rep. Minnie Gonzalez, D-Hartford, Rep. Mary Fritz, D-Yalesville, and Rep. Shawn Johnston, D-North Grosvernordale. Mazurek, some of his Democratic colleagues, as well as most of the Republicans, who voted to get rid of the fund Friday also participated in and received money from the fund during the last election cycle.
The one Republican who broke ranks with his party to vote against the amendment was freshman Rep. Tony Hwang of Fairfield.
Following the vote, Hwang said the Citizens Election Fund does allow for a level playing field and helps to take money out of the political process. He said the Republican budget proposal eliminated the funding for the Citizens Election Fund, but it did not allow lobbyists and political action committees to get back into the business of financing campaigns.
“It balances the playing field and encourages better candidates to participate,” Hwang said.
He said he wasn’t dismissing the value of the $61 million, but was “protecting the democratic process.”
Hwang defeated first-term Democrat Tom Christiano last year.
Comments (6)
Posted by: Watching | June 26, 2009 11:37 PM
Hahahaha, notice Rep. Mazurek almost lost a primary last summer. So generous that he doesn't want us taxpayers to pay for "our campaigns." what that means is... He thinks he should hold his seat for life, with no challenges.
Ct politics is so corrupt as it is, clean elections is the only thing keeping these people honest...
Posted by: Joe | June 27, 2009 1:36 PM
Its laughable having Mazurek say that he cares about anybody BUT himself.I certainly hope the Corkster enjoys his last year in Hartford. I guarantee you that next summer will not include a vacation for him
Posted by: ACR | June 28, 2009 12:02 AM
Corky refuses to become another union flunkie like the other two that represent Southington.
That fact apparently drives the thugs running the protection/union racket to distraction.
He represents his district well, returns calls and (gasp!) listens to his constituents up to and including voting according to their wishes.
The very nerve of the guy; imagine, an elected state rep going to Hartford and doing his effing job!
We'll cross endorse him if that's what it takes to the keep organized crime out of that assembly seat.
(Heck we might do it just to piss you bozos off; that alone would make it all worthwhile.)
The mob has enough influence via too many Democrats in Hartford already.
Posted by: iBlogWestHartford | June 29, 2009 12:37 PM
"Can I PLEASE put my hand down now??"
-- Corky
Posted by: Rhonda | June 29, 2009 3:26 PM
The post saying Corky votes with his district is a joke!
And it's not the so called unions that are disfunctional it's the wolcott democratic party that is messed up.
This group of flunkies were simply appalled that a woman never mind a single mom had the gall to run a primary.
And fact is if it wasn't for the corrupt REATORS pumping in over $13,000 into his campaign he would of and should of lost.
Imagine a 3 term incumbent outspending his opponent 2 to 1 and only winning by 50 votes.
And how does he respond?? Lets get rid of the even playing field and lets go back to corrupt businesses buying influence at the capitol and in wolcott.
Yep union people WORK on campaigns to get like minded people elected,which is called democracy. while the CBIA's of the world want to just send the check and forget about it.
Posted by: Rhonda | June 29, 2009 3:36 PM
I also noticed the person made reference to cross endorsing him which would mean they are the REPUBLICANS then made reference to the mobs influence at the capitol.
Correct me if i'm wrong then again don't bother because I am right, We had a Republican governor who answered to a mob guy called Tommasso,then the Republican minority leader in the senate by the name of Deluca asked a MADE member of the GAMBINO crime family named Galante to wack his grand daughters husband and its the other side thats mobbed up???
LMAO