In a mischievous move by a party that scorns limits on freedoms, the Libertarian Party
yesterday made a mockery of the state's 1994 campaign finance law by declaring that its
candidates may spend up to $19.5 billion in all but one of the statewide races.
The party has essentially blown up the
spending limits for the 1998 gubernatorial and other campaigns. This is the first election
cycle affected by the much-touted campaign finance reform law, which aims to reduce the
influence of special interests by offering candidates incentives to abide by spending
limits.
By not agreeing to the caps, the
Libertarians have cleared the way for unlimited spending sprees in some of the races for
statewide offices. The Libertarians have candidates in all but the attorney general race,
where Republican Brad Bailey and Democrat Thomas F. Reilly have agreed to a $650,000
spending limit.
The Libertarians' action is allowed
under the law, which sets caps while letting candidates decline adherence to them. But
Joshua Friedes, executive director of Common Cause Massachusetts, said the Libertarians'
announcement "undermines" the reforms and could have a major impact on several
key elections, including the treasurer, auditor, and secretary of state races.
"I do think it could undermine
other races in which both the Democratic and the Republican nominee had agreed to abide by
spending limits," Friedes said. He also urged all the candidates to abide by the caps
set forth before the Libertarians one-upped them.
"That would be an incredible
showing of good faith and intentions of the public's desire for real campaign
reform," Friedes said.
Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Dean
Cook, who has raised the meager sum of $2,916 as of Aug. 31, acknowledged the action will
make it more difficult for his party to compete against the Democrats and Republicans in a
virtual spending free-for-all. But he said the party wanted to make a point that the law
should not specify spending limits at all.
"Sometimes it isn't easy doing
what's right," Cook said. He said they chose $19.5 billion, the current level of
state spending, because it is as "ridiculous" a number as the state budget.
Meanwhile, the other candidates who were
grappling over what limits to agree to were caught flat-footed by the development. None
knew of the Libertarians' proposal because the process was secret until the Office of
Campaign and Political Finance revealed the candidates' plans by a 5 p.m. deadline
yesterday.
In fact, had it not been for the
Libertarians, the spending limit in the governor's race would have been $5 million, the
next-highest amount set by Acting Governor Paul Cellucci, once a strong advocate of
campaign spending limits.
The declarations by the candidates for
governor and other statewide offices are required by the reform law, which Cellucci
strongly backed four years ago.
Under the law, candidates who initially
agree to a specified spending cap in each race are eligible for public funding, but do not
have to abide by the cap unless all the other hopefuls in that race do too. If they don't,
the actual cap is set by the candidate who declares the highest limit.
[ . . . ]
Associated Press
By Jean McMillan
BOSTON (AP) - Acting Gov. Paul Cellucci has rejected campaign spending limits and said his
campaign would spend upwards of $5 million to win the general election.
"We don't know what we'll
spend," said Cellucci campaign spokesman Andy Antrobus. "It gives us the
flexibility to spend what we need to compete with the Democrats and the large amounts of
soft money the Democrats will spend on this race."
Cellucci's campaign with Jane Swift --
the governor and lieutenant governor nominees must run as one team - reported its maximum
expected expenditures to the Office of Campaign and Political Finance in time to meet a
Monday deadline.
Antrobus said the campaign currently has
roughly $1.7 million on hand.
Democratic gubernatorial nominee Scott
Harshbarger had agreed to a cap of $1.5 million, which entitled him to $750,000 in public
financing. He and running mate Warren Tolman are now free to spend as much as their
opponents.
But rather than $5 million declared by
Cellucci, that number is $19.5 billion, the figure submitted by the Libertarian party for
the governor/lieutenant governor, secretary and auditor races.
Dean Cook, the Libertarian Party's
candidate for governor, said he is opposed to the political finance laws because they
restrict free speech.
Asked why they chose to put down a
number matching the state's budget, Cook said, "If you're going to pick a ridiculous
number, look at the budget -- it's a ridiculous number."
Denis Kennedy of the Office of Campaign
and Political Finance said the office has to accept the highest number offered by a
candidate, but acknowledged the billion-dollar figure means several candidates now have no
realistic spending limit.
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