Candidate calls for more transparency in campaign finance reporting

In my book, The Turner Report," I noted how I first began writing about campaign finance reports. It started with my realization that the names of a number of contributors to the re-election of campaign of Rep. Mark Elliott, R-Carl Junction, seemed familiar.
I recognized the names as lobbyists, but none of them were described as such on the report. If memory serves correctly, after checking the state lobbyist database, I found 14 lobbyists or lobbyists' wives donating to the Elliott campaign. That experience has been repeated time after time over the past 11 years.

Jason Kander, a candidate for the House seat in Missouri's 44th District, would like to change the way things were done and add actual transparency to the process. The word "transparency" has received a bad name in recent months, thanks to its use as a reason to pass legislation banning all contribution limits. Kander favors contribution limits, but goes into some areas that should be addressed.

Following is the news release Kander's campaign issued Monday:

Jason Kander, a Democratic candidate for State Representative, has unveiled a two-part campaign finance reform proposal targeted at increasing donor transparency. He has also pledged not to circumvent the law by funneling money through committees and calls upon others in the 44th District race to take the same pledge.

The first part of Kander's plan would make lobbyist contributions more apparent and require donor information to be more readily available to voters.

"I opposed the elimination of contribution limits and I favor public financing, but we should focus on transparency, as well," said Kander.

Kander's plan would add an additional question to campaign disclosure forms, requiring candidates to identify lobbyist contributions the way they currently identify PAC contributions. Currently, candidates can take money from a lobbyist and simply list their obscurely named consulting firm as their employer, making it difficult for voters to determine the donor's agenda.

In order to make it simple for voters to see who is funding a candidate, the second part of Kander's plan would also require all candidates with campaign websites to either list the name and occupation of every campaign donor or provide links directly to each of the campaign's finance reports.

The elimination of campaign limits will take effect after the primaries this year, so some primary candidates will continue the practice of circumventing the law by funneling money through legislative, district, and other third party committees that can donate amounts above the $325 individual limit. "I will not take contributions above the $325 limit from committees or use third party committees to criticize my opponents. I hope that my opponents will also follow the letter and spirit of the law," said Kander.

Kander has been lauded by observers for his grassroots fundraising approach. In his last finance report, he outdid all of his opponents without taking a single dollar from a PAC. Two out of every three donors were actually residents of the 44th District.

Of course, the Kander approach would still allow the lobbyists' wives and children to make donations that would not be noted, and it does not take into account the bundling process through which lobbyists raise big money for candidates from their clients and from those connected to their clients, but it sounds like a welcome start.