Ohio voters might not get a chance to express their feelings about a new campaign finance reform law that raises campaign contribution limits from $2,500 to $10,000, despite a myriad of controversy generated by the way it was passed.
Critics of House Bill 1, which was signed into law in December, have a monumental effort ahead of them if they wish to gather enough signatures for a petition to put the new law on this year's ballot, said Kent Darr, spokesman for the Ohio AFL-CIO. The AFL-CIO will need 193,700 signatures by the end of March, when the law goes into effect.
Rep. Eric Fingerhut, D-Cleveland, who called the law the worst piece of legislation he has seen, said the new contribution limits inhibit the ability of less wealthy contributors to influence the
political process.
Contribution limits level the playing field so everyone has a shot at having an equal amount of influence on elected officials
Fingerhut said. (Republicans) saw grass-roots politics gaining influence and they wanted to stamp it out.
However, Rep. Kevin DeWine, R-Fairborn, who sponsored the bill in the House, said limiting campaign contributions too severely could erode the political process by inviting foul play.
You're never going to reduce the amount of money that is spent in politics DeWine said. People have tried and you end up with shenanigans and games.
The new law also requires full disclosure of all campaign contributions and expenditures in the state. Contribution information will be published on Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell's Web site for easy public access.
Being able to have access to that information in a timely fashion only enhances the opportunity for an informed electorate
DeWine said.
Some critics of the raise in contribution limits, such as Senate sponsor Randy Gardner, R-Bowling Green, and Sen. Joy Padgett, R-Coshocton, said the increased disclosure made the bill worth passing.
The kingpin of the whole deal was the disclosure portion
which I think is going to be wonderful for politics in Ohio
Padgett said.
The law is being criticized not only for its effects, but also for the way it was passed. In response to fund-raising scandals involving former House Speaker Larry Householder, Gov. Bob Taft called a special session in December. Taft signed the bill Dec. 30 after it passed along strict partisan lines.
Critics claim the special session was called right before Christmas to allow Republicans to push the law through the legislature without significant debate or public scrutiny.
They had one week to debate this law and pass it before they went home for Christmas
Darr said. It didn't give any of the parties significant opportunity to examine the legislation.
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Matt Danford
