Issue Position: Clean Government

Issue Position

"Free and fair elections are the foundation on which the American democracy rests. The health of our system of government depends on our elections being decided by the will of the people, not being sold to the highest bidder." -Chris

Chris is a nationally recognized leader on campaign finance reform and clean government initiatives. In Congress, he will fight to implement a campaign finance reform system for federal elections, for legislation that reverses the Citizens United decision, and for smarter, more efficient government.

Keeping corporate money out of politics and government.

More than a year has passed since the United States Supreme Court handed down its decision in the notorious Citizens United v. FEC case. And in that short time, we've already seen the disastrous effects of this ill-conceived ruling: Last year's midterm election cycle was polluted with unprecedented levels of corporate money disguised as "free speech." Chris will be in the forefront of the effort to limit the impact of Citizens United and overturn the decision with legislation like Representative Van Hollen's DISCLOSE Act and Representative Edwards' Constitutional Amendment.

Landmark campaign finance reform in Connecticut.

Chris, along with many other Democrats, stands strongly opposed to the Citizens United decision. After years of fighting as an advocate for campaign finance reform in Connecticut, in 2005, as House Majority Leader, Chris led the charge on landmark, bipartisan legislation that made Connecticut the first state in the nation to establish full public financing for all elections to state offices -- now known as the Citizens' Election Program. While several other states have established their own public financing systems since, Connecticut is still a national model for a robust system that opens up the political process for candidates without a strong funding base and does away with the insidious "pay-to-play" influence on contracting and public policy. Chris is recognized by Common Cause as a strong national leader for clean elections, based on his track record of delivering a clean elections law in Connecticut. He is proud to have championed this cause, and counts it among his greatest achievements in public office.

Fighting for Fair Elections -- now.

In Congress, Chris will bring his expertise and passion for advocacy on this issue to the similar efforts that are underway on the national level to establish a public-financing mechanism for federal candidates. The Fair Elections Now Act would allow federal candidates to choose to run for office without relying on large contributions, big money bundlers, or donations from lobbyists, and would be freed from the constant fundraising in order to focus on what people in their communities want. It is no accident that one of the bill's co-sponsors, Rep. John B. Larson, hails from Connecticut -- indeed, he cites Connecticut's CEP as a model for the Fair Elections Now Act. Chris will stand with Congressman Larson and supporters of the bill on both sides of the aisle to work to minimize the influence of corporate donations on federal races -- and, importantly, make elected office a reality for the best candidates, not just the wealthiest and best-connected. This way, candidates for Congress could truly focus their limited time and energy on the issues affecting their communities, and not on the constant fundraising that has become a reality of Washington politics in 2011. The Fair Elections Now Act is an essential component of restoring the democratic process in the US, and Chris will be at the forefront of these efforts in the next Congress.

Reforming the State Contracting Process.

Chris was a key player in challenging corruption in the contracting process, tackling the corruption that followed in the wake of John Rowland, and helping to strike a compromise in 2007 with Governor Rell. The "clean contracting statute" centered around the creation of an independent Contracting Standards Board, an independent agency charged with protecting Connecticut taxpayers from the waste, fraud, and abuse that result from inappropriate collusion between lawmakers and state contractors. Contracting reform ensures that Connecticut taxpayers get the most return for every dollar they send to Hartford -- and, further, helps to safeguard against fraud. Chris is proud to have been a part of this process.

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