Bill bans the use of personal funds by any political committee including leadership PACs
Washington, D. C. – As reported in a recent edition of “60 Minutes,” the current ban on personal use political committee funds does not include leadership PACs. Rep. Andy Harris, M.D., has introduced H.R. 3356, “Clean Campaign Contributions Act,” to close that loophole. The bill will extend the current ban on the personal use of funds by candidate reelection campaigns by clarifying that the ban also applies to leadership PACs, a campaign committee of a political party, and every kind of campaign committee.
“Public opinion of Congress is already low enough. We should close this loophole so no appearance of impropriety exists.” said Rep. Harris. “By banning the personal use of political committee funds, we can help improve the public trust in Congress.”
The Federal Election Commission has recommended extending the personal use ban to all political committees. According to the FEC, while it is illegal to use candidate committee contributions for personal use (to fulfill any commitment, obligation, or expense that would exist irrespective of the candidate’s election campaign or duties as a holder of Federal office) “no corresponding provision covers individuals who convert contributions received by party committees, separate segregated funds, leadership PACs, and other political committees to their own personal use, including through theft or embezzlement.”
The FEC has “seen a substantial number of instances where individuals with access to the funds received by political committees have used such funds to make unauthorized disbursements to pay for their own personal expenses.”
This bill simply treats all campaign committees equally regarding the personal use of funds.
Contact:
Chris Meekins
202-225-5311
202-441-3095
John LaFerla says
Editor,
Here for once is a bill put forward by Representative Harris that I actually agree with. The bill however really does not accomplish much of substance. The truly important problems to be addressed with regard to money in politics stem from the Supreme Court’s “Citizens United” decision which allows unlimited political donations by corporations, and also the existence of “dark money” — donations that cannot be traced. What our country needs is transparency in all political donations and disbursements, and a national referendum declaring that a corporation is not a person. To make a real impact on campaign finance, Harris could have addressed these critical issues. Instead he distracts us with superficial grandstanding.
Harris correctly notes that public opinion of Congress is at an all time low. However, he himself is part of the problem because of his refusal to take seriously the job of being a legislator: to work with others to hammer out solutions to our country’s important problems.