"Passing Clean Elections, or publicly financed elections, at all levels of government, is all the more important given today's decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in Randall v. Sorrell to turn over Vermont's campaign finance laws that set strict spending and contribution limits on all state elections.

"The Court's disappointing--but narrow--ruling that the contribution and spending limits in Vermont's law were too strict and therefore unconstitutional marks steps away from past deference to state legislatures in determining the proper level for limits on contributions. Contribution and spending limits are crucial tools for limiting the influence of special interest money in elections.

"However, the Court left public financing in place as a reform mechanism. Clean Elections systems provide a practical, proven alternative way to run political campaigns that put voters before lobbyists and campaign contributors. Under these systems, law in seven states and two municipalities, candidates who raise a set number of small contributions, typically $5, and agree to raise no private money once qualified receive a public grant to run their campaigns. Because the system is voluntary, it meets the constitutional test. Indeed, Vermont has a public financing law that remains standing.

"It is disheartening that the Court has overturned an important campaign finance law at the same time news headlines are full of revelations of pay-to-play politics practiced by the likes of former Rep. Tom DeLay (R-TX) and convicted super lobbyist Jack Abramoff. We must work hard to pass Clean Elections so that elections are about voters, not campaign contributors."

Public Campaign is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to sweeping reform that aims to dramatically reduce the role of big special interest money in American politics. For more information, go to www.publicampaign.org.

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