!,Becomeafanonfacebook Marine absorbs IED blast walks away� democratshaveproposedanewcampaignfinanceoverhaulbilltocounteracontroversialsupremecourtdecisionthatenhancedthepowerofoutsidegroupstoruncampaignads,butalittle-publicizedprovisioninthelegislationwoulddramaticallyalterhowpartiesinteractwithcandidatesandgivethecampaigncommitteesbroadflexibilityinhowtheyhandleindependentexpenditures.Accordingtoattorneysonbothsidesoftheaisle,theproposedbillwouldlikelydoawaywiththebiennialtraditionofthefourhouseandsenatecampaigncommitteessendingchosenstaffmemberstotheothersideofthewall--wheretheyspendmillionsoncampaigncommunication,independentofcoordinationwiththecommitteesandcandidates.Thekeysectionofthesenateversionofthediscloseactredefinestheconducttestforcoordination.Thedirectcostsincurredbyapoliticalcommitteeofapoliticalpartyforacommunicationmadeinconnectionwiththecampaignofacandidateforfederalofficeshallnotbesubjecttothelimitationscontainedinparagraphs(2)and(3)unlessthecommunicationiscontrolledby,ormadeatthedirectionof,thecandidateoranauthorizedcommitteeofthecandidate,accordingtotheproposedbill.Thehouseversion,cosponsoredbydemocraticcongressionalcampaigncommitteechairmanchrisvanhollen(md.),Containsasimilarprovision.Requiringcontrolordirectionbyacandidateisasignificantlyhigherstandardforcoordination.Underthecurrentlaw,thecampaigncommitteessetupseparateindependentexpenditureoffices,andthestrategistspickedtorunthem,whohavespentthepast18monthstalkingaboutraceswithinthewallsofthecommittee,arenolongerallowedtodiscusstheraceswiththeircolleaguesontheothersideofthewall.Instead,thenewbillwoulddoawaywiththestatusquoandallowthecampaigncommitteestohaveconversationswithcandidatesaboutadsandstrategyaslongasthecandidateswerentcontrollingordirectingpartyspending,accordingtomultiplecampaignfinanceattorneys.Partiesnevershouldhavebeensubjecttothetightercoordinationrulespassedin2003,democraticattorneymarceliasexplainedabouttheunintendedconsequencesofthebipartisancampaignreformact.Adsthataresponsoredbypartieswereneveratarget.Thiswouldrestorethelawbacktopriortomccain-feingold.Sen.Russfeingold(d-wis.)Isacosponsorofthesenateversionofthebill.Accordingtomultipleattorneysinterviewedforthisstory,thefederalelectioncommissionwronglylumpedspendingbypartieswithspendingbyotheroutsidegroups,givingthecampaigncommitteesthesamelevelofnon-communicationwithcandidatesasarandom527group.Eventhoughthecampaigncommitteesarealreadysettinguptheirindependentexpenditureeffortsforthenovemberelections,thestafferscouldreturntotheothersideofthewall30daysafterthediscloseactisenacted.Undertheproposedlegislation,partycommunicationwillnotbetreatedasacontributionunlessdirectedorcontrolledbythecandidate,accordingtoonedemocraticattorney.Coordinatedcontributionlimitsareverylow,relativetotheoverallexpenseofacampaign.In2008,thedemocraticcommitteesspent$1.7millionincoordinatedmoneycomparedwith$81.6millioninindependentexpenditures.Therepublicancommitteesspent$3.4millionincoordinatedmoneyand$31millioninindependentexpenditures,accordingtothecampaignfinanceinstitute.Partystrategistsatthecampaigncommitteesarecautiousandrestrainedintheirexcitementabouttheopportunitytospendtensofmillionsofdollarsandbeabletoworkmorecloselywiththeircandidatescampaigns.Thispotentiallysignificantdevelopmentisnotpromotedasoneofthesevenmajorpointsondiscloseact.Com,awebsitesetupbysenatecosponsorsfeingold,charlese.Schumer(d-n.Y.)Andpatrickj.Leahy(d-vt.),Butitwouldhaveatremendousimpactonthecampaigncommittees.Whileattorneysbelievetheprovisionwillrevertthecandidate/partycommunicationbacktobeforebcra,thepartiesarestillsubjecttohard-dollarcontributionlimits.Thediscloseactallowsmorefreedomforpartiestointeractwiththeircandidates,butitdoessowhileleavingthecurrentsoft-moneyrestrictionsintact,vanhollenspokesmandougthornellsaid.Ingeneral,thediscloseactappearstobeawaytoenhancethepartiesabilitytocompeteafterthesupremecourtscitizensunitedv.Fecdecision.Itswhatyoudotokeepthepartiesrelevant,onegopattorneysaidaboutthebill.Thespendingprovisionaswellastheprovisiontogivepartycommitteesthelowestunitratefortelevisionads(justlikecandidatesget)arewaystoleveltheplayingfieldwithcorporationsandotheroutsidegroups.Accordingtoonegopattorney,opponentsofthesupremecourtsdecisionarerealizingthattheywillhaveadifficulttimechallengingtheconstitutionalrightofoutsidegroupstospendmoney,sothisbillisaresponsetofreeupthepartiestocompete. |22222222|
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