Campaign Finance

This morning Barack Obama put up a video on his web site to make the unsurprising announcement that he will not participate in the public financing system--a long-expected development.

Here's the equally unsurprising reaction from John McCain communications director Jill Hazelbaker:

“Today, Barack Obama has revealed himself to be just another typical politician who will do and say whatever is most expedient for Barack Obama.

 

“The true test of a candidate for President is whether he will stand on principle and keep his word to the American people. Barack Obama has failed that test today, and his reversal of his promise to participate in the public finance system undermines his call for a new type of politics.  read more »

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Back in November, state Senator Carl Kruger bussed in a reported 500 people to a city-run information session on the redevelopment of Coney Island, disrupting and ultimately shutting down the meeting in a show of opposition to the plan.

Well, now the expenditure report for Mr. Kruger’s campaign committee has gone online, and the final tally is in: it seems the senator paid $2,475 to bus company Dimino Express for the event, only a small portion of the $1.63 million he lists as having in his campaign account.  read more »

John McCain is denouncing the soft-money-funded, pro-McCain ads running in South Carolina, releasing the following statement:  read more »

Here's a clip from yesterday's press conference, where Christine Quinn
and Michael Bloomberg declared that public matching funds for campaigns shouldn't
go to candidates that don't have competitive elections.

Despite the fact that he has always been a self-financed candidate, it's an issue with which Bloomberg is familiar.

Two years ago, he was dragged into a City Council race in the Bronx when eventual winner Larry Seabrook asked for matching funds based on Bloomberg's alleged support for a opponent.

The rest is history: Seabrook got his matching funds. His opponent, George Rubin, raised $0.

Here, for the sake of posterity, is Seabrook's explanation.

Siena Research Institute has a new poll out today about voter attitudes towards some of the biggest legislative initiatives under consideration in Albany.

62 to 32 percent, voters oppose pay raises for lawmakers;

52 to 42 percent, voters support reinstating the death penalty for cop killers;

51 to 37 percent, voters support public campaign financing;

47 to 43 percent, voters oppose gay marriage;

Other numbers from the poll:
Spitzer’s favorability rating is 67 to 21 percent;

Andrew Cuomo’s is 51 to 32 percent;

and Tom DiNapoli’s favorability rating is 7 to 18.