Bacon's Rebellion

Democracy Thrives in Sunlight

Hands Off My Donations!

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by

Dick Hall-Sizemore
in , , , ,

Sen. Chap Petersen (D-Fairfax) Photo credit: Virginia Mercury

by Dick Hall-Sizemore

Virginia Senators wasted little time killing off an attempt to limit campaign contributions. On its first day of meetings, the Privileges and Elections Committee took up Senator Chap Petersen’s bill to place a $2o,000 cap on campaign contributions (SB 44). Voting to report the bill were five Democrats: Deeds (Bath), Ebbin (Alexandria), Mason (Williamsburg), McClellan (Richmond), and Boysko (Fairfax). The ten Senators voting to kill the bill included all seven Republicans on the committee: Vogel (Fauquier), Reeves (Spotsylvania), Ruff (Mecklenburg), Peake (Lynchburg), McDougle (Hanover), Bell (Loudoun), and Hackworth (Tazewell). Joining them were three Democrats: Howell (Fairfax), Spruill (Chesapeake), and Surovell (Fairfax).

This does not bode well for Petersen’s headliner campaign bill that would ban campaign contributions from public utilities (SB 45). The legislation is obviously aimed at Dominion Energy. Petersen has called on the Governor to support the bill. It will be instructive to see if (1) Youngkin comes out publicly in support of the bill and (2) if he does, whether that will be enough to sway enough senators, Democrats and Republicans, to vote for the bill.

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12 responses to “Hands Off My Donations!”

  1. how_it_works Avatar
    how_it_works

    The “Virginia Way”.

  2. James C. Sherlock Avatar
    James C. Sherlock

    I just added my voice to yours, Dick.

  3. Fred Costello Avatar
    Fred Costello

    Regulated utilities contribute to the campaigns of those who regulate them, thereby making the regulators biased in favor of the utilities. Similarly, government employees contribute to the campaigns of those who set their salaries, thereby making the governing people biased in favor of the employees.

    1. Dick Hall-Sizemore Avatar
      Dick Hall-Sizemore

      You seem to think that contributing to campaigns makes the governing people biased. If that is the case, why single out utilities and government employees. What about numerous professions that are regulated, such as lawyers, doctors, hairdressers, optometrists, contractors, etc. Then there are the businesses that benefit from, or are hurt by, various types of legislation, such as tax laws and laws governing land development. Wouldn’t their donations make the governing people biased in their favor?

  4. DJRippert Avatar
    DJRippert

    And the campaign contributions are often spent by the politicians on personal expenses.

    “Since 2011, Spruill has spent $300,000 from his campaign account on numerous luxuries: a membership in a private business club, meals at Ruth’s Chris steakhouses around the country, and more than $2,000 at high-end Richmond restaurants during legislative sessions. More than 90 percent of the money Spruill raised came from corporations, trade organizations or special interest groups.”

    “Behavior that would get lawmakers locked up in other states or at the federal level is perfectly fine in the Old Dominion. Virginia is the only state where lawmakers can raise unlimited campaign donations from anyone, including corporations and unions, and spend the money on themselves.”

    https://www.pilotonline.com/government/virginia/article_96691ced-66a2-5164-9d75-807e2b75bf38.html

    Virginia is the most corrupt state in America.

    1. how_it_works Avatar
      how_it_works

      Virginia corruption is more genteel and discreet.

  5. tmtfairfax Avatar
    tmtfairfax

    Let’s also ban contributions to local officials or candidates from any labor organization that is representing public sector workers in collective bargaining in that jurisdiction. Same rule should apply to businesses that have or seek contracts from the locality.

  6. Nancy Naive Avatar
    Nancy Naive

    Best government money can buy.

    1. how_it_works Avatar
      how_it_works

      Coin-operated government.

  7. Stephen Haner Avatar
    Stephen Haner

    Quel surprise…

    This would be my preferred approach, universal limits. If it is all we can pass, I can agree with a ban on contributions from any or all state-regulated entities. As angry as they make me at times, I would not support a ban that targeted just one or two regulated entities.

    As many know, I long defended Virginia’s wide open rules, as long as they were paired with reporting requirements. Happy to admit I was wrong and freedom turned into license turned into blatant corruption. I do think Dominion’s behavior in the last election angered some average voters. But clearly not enough….

    1. Nancy Naive Avatar
      Nancy Naive

      Hey! Like the new profile pic. But with my strongest readers, zoomed in as much as I can, and I cannot make out exactly what it is. But looks like a fossilized goat head… which works on all kinds of levels.

      1. Stephen Haner Avatar
        Stephen Haner

        A rams head made out of empty beer bottles, representing Shiner Bock. On display at the Shiner brewery (where I might have gotten my Covid-O in the barroom two weeks ago tomorrow.) Few masks in evidence, including the barkeep/tour guide.

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