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Watchdog calls for more disclosure of political contributions NATE ELLIS Daily Reporter Staff Writer 03/19/2002 Campaign watchdog Ohio Citizen Action on Monday released a report listing the state's top political contributors. At the same time, the group called on the legislature to do more to disclose all party funds and donor information. Noting that Ohio's statewide and legislative candidates, political parties and legislative caucuses received $70.57 million in contributions in 1999-2000, the nonpartisan campaign reform organization, called for more action to disclose all information pertaining to political contributions. The group said Ohio's lawmakers should address the "many" loopholes for wealthy individuals and corporations to influence the political system with large donations. "Clearly, there are some problems," said Catherine Turcer, campaign reform director of Ohio Citizen Action and co-author of "Run for the Money," a study of campaign contributions made in the 1999-2000 election cycle. "The parties, candidates and caucuses are doing an adequate job (of disclosure), but they're certainly not doing what the citizens of Ohio deserve. "It's time to get on with this and have a substantive conversation about these issues." Turcer's study included recommendations calling on the Ohio General Assembly to re-create a study committee to address the impact of the 1995 reforms on the campaign finance system. Senate Bill 2, enacted by the 122nd General Assembly, established a study committee to review the 1995 campaign finance reforms, but Turcer said the committee only met once and did not report as required. The study recommended the committee should be required to meet regularly and issue a report to effectuate positive change in campaigns in Ohio. It also called for disclosure of all party funds and contributor information. "In Ohio, political party committees play a major role in raising campaign cash," the study stated. "Yet Ohio law still does not require disclosure of important information about contributors to all party funds." The study indicated that in 1999-2000, the Ohio Republican Party reported raising more than $10.8 million and the Ohio Democratic Party reported raising more than $12.1 million. It said the Ohio Republican Party actually generated more money, but that the total amount and information about the contributors to the operating accounts are not required by law to be disclosed. Contributions to party funds, as has been seen in Hamilton County in recent weeks, may be kept entirely secret and the Republican Party did not voluntarily disclose the information, the study said. "Ohio political parties should be required to identify contributor names, addresses and employers of those contributors over $100," the study stated. "Secrecy creates opportunities for inappropriate giving and promotes distrust in the system for the citizens of Ohio." Conversely, the study recommended that all political party committees, including at the county level, should be required by law to identify contributor names, addresses and employers of those who contributed more than $100. It also said improvements should be made with respect to disclosure of Ohio political action committees by requiring that they identify the groups associated with the PACs. Currently, only corporations and unions are required to identify that they are sponsoring a PAC. The study said this means that business associations and ideological groups are not required to identify who sponsors them, which causes difficulties in identifying PACs. Turcer noted that candidates who raised more than their opponents in 1999-2000 won 88.9 percent of the time. In the 1996 election cycle, candidates who raised more money won 98.3 percent of the time and 88 percent of candidates who raised more than their opponents in 1998 were victorious. The average amount raised by winners in the Ohio House of Representatives in 1999-2000 was $125,617, while losers raised an average of $35,766. In the Senate, the average raised by winners was $189,201 and losers raised an average of $100,561. The top five contributors in Ohio in the 1999-2000 election cycle - David Brennan of Brennan Industrial Group, Leslie Wexner of The Limited, Clay Mathile of Iams, John McConnell of Worthington Industries and Mary Mathile of Iams - gave only to Republicans. Turcer said limits should be placed on the amounts passed between candidate committees and party committees. The study called for expanded disclosure so that voting records and lobbyist information are readily available in searchable form on the Internet. Further, it said lobbyists should be required to file information about the bills that they are advocating for or against and any expenses connected to lobbying so that the information can be available on the Internet. "There's a heck of a lot we don't know and this only provides a snap shot," Turcer said. "Once again, Ohio, there's some much to uncover. Let's actually say we want to see all of the contributor information so that we can actually track the money." Ohio Citizen Action's study indicated that Gov. Bob Taft raised more than $2.4 million in 1999-2000, with 74.15 percent of his money coming from individuals contributing more than $200. The Ohio Republican Party funded Taft with $222,993. The trend of large individual donations held true for each of the statewide candidates, including the Supreme Court of Ohio candidates who ran in 1999-2000. Approximately 57 percent of Ohio Attorney General Betty Montgomery's $942,260 in funding came from large, individual contributions and more than 70 percent of Ohio Treasurer Joseph Deters' more than $1.2 million in campaign contributions came by way of large, individual donations. Ohio Auditor Jim Petro raised more than $1.4 million, 69.86 percent of which came from large, individual contributions. Almost 37 percent of Ohio Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell's contributions came from large, individual donations. If you have questions or comments for The Daily Reporter regarding this story please contact editor@sourcenews.com. |
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