When House Democrats held a rare Statehouse press conference last Wednesday promising to confront rising property taxes, their Republican opponents rolled their eyes.
“It’s kind of interesting that a couple weeks before the election, after having done nothing for years, they’re finally finding religion on property tax reform,” Rep. Kurt Wright (R-Burlington) said at the time. “I welcome that, but I think voters should always be wary of near-election-time conversions.”
This week, House Democratic leaders appear to have found religion on another subject: the influence of money in politics.
After spending the last two years raising campaign cash from out-of-state corporations and in-state lobbyists, House Dems issued a press release Thursday complaining about the sudden influx of such money in support of Republican candidates.
“Campaigns should be about competing ideas,” House Majority Leader Willem Jewett (D-Ripton) said in the release. “Democratic House candidates will not be deterred by this out-of-state organization’s excessive efforts on behalf of select Republican candidates.”
Jewett was referring to the Republican State Leadership Committee, which signaled its arrival in Vermont two weeks ago by spending $143,000 on a television advertising campaign. Within days, it had spent another $100,000 on radio, postcards and online ads supporting state senate candidates in Franklin, Rutland, Washington and Orange counties. On Wednesday, it dropped another $48,000 — this time on postcards supporting 25 House candidates.
The RSLC’s largest contributors include tobacco giant Reynolds American, Inc., the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Koch Industries.
In an interview Thursday, Jewett complained repeatedly about “the pile of out-of-state money” the RSLC dumped on Vermont. But he seemed to have forgotten about the special-interest cash his own leadership team has collected on his watch.
“I don’t think you’ll find this stuff going on on this side of the ledger, but I’ll leave that to you,” he said.
OK.
To refresh Jewett’s memory, here are a few of the out-of-state corporations and special-interest groups that have given to the House Democrats’ three political action committees just this year: Verizon ($1,000), Armedica ($2,000), DISH Network ($1,750), Walgreens ($750), International Brotherhood of Teamsters ($1,000), Pharmaceutical Researchers and Manufacturers of America ($2,000), Corrections Corporation of America ($1,500), Comcast ($1,500), Caremark ($500), Federal Express ($1,000), New England Cable & Telecommunications Association ($1,500), American Insurance Association ($1,000), Coca-Cola ($1,000), AT&T ($500), Marijuana Policy Project ($1,000), Pfizer ($750), Maximus ($2,000), DirecTV ($750), MVP Health Care ($1,000), Reynolds American, Inc., ($1,000), Anheuser-Busch ($2,000) and Keystone Automotive Industries ($500).
Jewett may have also forgotten about the $500-a-head fundraiser his caucus held just down the street from the Statehouse last May as the legislature was nearing passage of the session’s major bills. Seven Days observed nearly two dozen lobbyists and a dozen Democratic lawmakers breezing into the Capitol Plaza Hotel for the event.
In case he forgot, here’s a photo of Jewett arriving at the fundraiser. (He didn’t stop to chat with us at the time.)
Jewett may also have forgotten that when House Republicans proposed new campaign-finance rules in January 2013, he poo-pooed their ideas and argued that additional disclosure mandates were not necessary. Or that in January 2014, House Democrats voted 124 to 15 in favor of doubling the amount of money statewide candidates could raise from individuals, corporations or PACs — and quintupling the amount political parties could raise from those entities. Or that it was House negotiators who insisted on removing from that bill a proposed requirement to list donors’ occupations and employers on disclosure forms.
Jewett may have forgotten that his party’s top statewide officials — Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Congressman Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Gov. Peter Shumlin — have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars from corporations, lobbyists and PACs over the years.
Then again, the majority leader poses a thoughtful question about why out-of-state special interests might invest in Vermont political campaigns.
“You have to ask yourself what are they trying to get for that?” he said of the RSLC.
What, indeed?
And what exactly was Verizon trying to get when it cut its latest $500 check to the Vermont Democratic House Campaign PAC just two weeks ago?
“I have no idea,” Jewett says.
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Paul,
In your zest to make a head line and and be a little snarky, you too….like the main stream media are missing the milestone Change that the Republican OUT OF STATE PAC has set. Influencing local legislator’s races!
The out of state Republican State Leadership Committee is DIRECTLY engaging in Vermont’s local legislative races. This is a Shamefull milestone that the Vermont Republican have sanctioned tacidly.
Yes there have been many business contribution to the Vermont democratic house campaign….you have taken the time to list them. Note they are limited to $2000 rule and most are in fact Vermont businesses, do business in Vermont, or represent Vermont workers.
If you were truly diligent you would come up with a similar list on the Vermont Republican side.
The Vermont Republicans have for the first time embraced encourage HUGE $$$(almost $300,000.00) from a totally OUT OF STATE pac to enter, outside of Vermont campaign law, providing funding suporting republican local legislators. This action will likely have to be countered on the Democratic side…..in essence damaging irreparably, the Vermont tradition of running for the house or senator with a few dollars and the help of some friends. No more…times have changed…The Republicans are bringing big money to the local Vermont races.
And the Republican talk about scary big government….when they cow tow to big out of state funding for local candidates.
I would like to see a list of each Vermont politician that has received campaign money from out of state. And how much each received, Republican, Progressive and Democrat.
Money in politics is money in politics. It is time for public financing to reduce the influence of money on our lawmakers.
This view is from a single mother, veteran of our armed services, and a full time worker just making it by. It should be all about balancing budgets, just like you do in your household. You go without some things and make due with what you have! And there needs to be a separation from social, government, and family issues.
I’m looking for people in state government interested in keeping Vermonters and their families here, employed or retired.
In Vermont State Government it should be run just like what all Vermonters want. Lowing Taxes! Think before you vote on something items. Do your resource and what it really is going to cost the state! And also think about where to save money, make things more effect, and improve the quality of life. Why by reforming the Current Walfare system and adding more jobs.
Campaign contributions simply reflect an individual or an organizations views on the policy profile of any given political candidate, regardless of party. So it shouldn’t be very difficult to draft legislation to require that every penny of political donations be submitted before the funding can be utilized. PAC funding is a separate sticky issue that neither party has addressed and I wouldn’t expect any more requirements than what is currently on the books.