Q & A with U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell
Kentucky’s senator raises questions about campaign finance proposal
From, The Kentucky Citizen Digest, July/August, 2001.

Kentucky Citizen: In a nutshell, what is at stake and how far along are we in the campaign-finance reform debate?

McConnell: In April, the Senate passed the McCain/Feingold campaign finance “reform” legislation. Proponents claim it will decrease the amount of money, and cynicism, in politics. To the contrary, this assault on the First Amendment will only remove political parties from politics, not money. The amount of money spent on campaigns will not decrease; it will merely shift from the hands of many into the hands of a few, and cynicism will increase.
    I am convinced that under the banner of “reform,” proponents of this legislation, with the ready assistance of the liberal media, spin fact into fiction resulting in a discussion based upon myth rather than reality.  The good news is that this flawed idea must still pass the U.S. House of Representatives.

Kentucky Citizen: What about the charge that unregulated, undisclosed soft money given to political parties is corrupting?

McConnell: The fact is that “soft money”(funds used for state and local elections) is given not to candidates, but only to party committees. It is regulated and fully disclosed under both federal and state law. The “reformers” portray political parties as corrupting institutions. I have repeatedly challenged proponents of this and similar legislation to back up their smears with specific examples. None have been forthcoming. Thus, through smears, hyperbole and innuendo the so-called reformers feed the public cynicism they profess to want to alleviate.

Kentucky Citizen: Others say a soft-money ban would be pro-democracy.

McConnell: A soft-money ban will eliminate more than a third of the national party committee’s resources. The parties will no longer be able to support both federal and state candidates and voter turnout will no longer be a function of the parties. The big winner under this scheme: outside special interests. Special interests will move in to fill the void — funding their own political efforts without restriction or accountability. Money that was once fully disclosed and regulated would be undisclosed and unregulated. That is not reform.

Kentucky Citizen: Isn’t it true that government can restrict political speech and activities by citizen groups — so-called special-interest groups?

McConnell: The “reformers” say they can, but the courts have repeatedly said they cannot. The Supreme Court has consistently and adamantly rejected governmental restrictions on the First Amendment freedoms of private groups to participate in elections and influence American politics. As you know, even nonprofit groups like The Family Foundation will be subject to new limitations even though you do not actively participate in elections.

Kentucky Citizen: Many say we need campaign-finance reform to boost public confidence in our political system.

McConnell: Erosion of public confidence linked to campaign financing is largely driven by the scandal-obsessed media. The current campaign finance system is the unintended consequence of 1970s-era legislation, most of which the Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional in 1976. McCain/Feingold is on the same trajectory as the 1970s reforms. Real reform respects everyone’s First Amendment freedoms — not just the media’s. McCain/Feingold tramples the First Amendment freedoms of American citizens, groups, candidates and parties. That is not reform.

Kentucky Citizen: Where do we go from here?

McConnell: In the coming weeks and months, much will be written and said about campaign-finance reform in the House. It is my hope that by moving the discussion from myth to reality and from fiction to fact, we can enact change that truly will alleviate cynicism, increase competition in elections and, most important of all, respect the First Amendment freedom of American citizens and groups to participate in American politics. The First Amendment is America’s greatest political reform.
 
 

Key Family Foundation Contacts: Kent Ostrander, Executive Director Martin Cothran, Senior Associate Policy Analyst