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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Ryan Winkler (DFL)

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GOP CLOSES PERFECT CIRCLE OF CORRUPTION

Friday, April 24, 2015
 
 
ST. PAUL –Today, the State Government Finance bill will be heard on the House Floor. The bill undermines Minnesota’s strong anti-corruption campaign laws, including the public subsidy program and the corresponding spending limits for state candidates, and enables state campaigns to be solely funded by lobbyists and political spending groups.
 
 
Rep. Ryan Winkler (DFL-Golden Valley) released the following statement:
 
 
“Minnesota Republicans are putting our government up for sale to the highest bidder. We should be increasing campaign finance disclosure and increasing public trust in state government, but instead Republicans are keeping Minnesotans in the dark and removing all restrictions on special interest spending in our elections.
 
 
“Republicans are setting up a perfect circle of corruption: corporate special interests spend record amounts to elect representatives who then serve them a buffet of special interest pork while in office, and finally with no restrictions on campaign donations, those same special interests can better fund the next campaign. This undermines public trust and will further reduce the role that average Minnesotans are able to play in state elections.
 
 
“The Republican majority’s first vote this session was to keep corporate campaign cash hidden, and since then they’ve voted to defeat the same measure half a dozen times. In the same bill that allows corporate special interests to run away with our elections, Republicans are giving themselves an increase in their own housing allowance. This type of self-interest and self-service helps only legislators and their friends, not the everyday Minnesotans who are being left behind by Republicans.”

$28 million was spent in state elections in 2014, not including the types of campaign spending not currently required to be reported by state law.
 
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