The House voted Thursday to allow Republican and Democratic leaders in the Senate and House to create committees that raise funds for canidiates in their politicial parties.
The billl to create party fundraising committees passed 73-42 along party lines after a heated debate. Although the committees function differently and are subject to new, more transparent reporting requirements, Democrats have stirred fears the Legislature is resurrecting the idea of so-called leadership funds banned 20 years ago.
At the same time, Democrats made clear they will use the new funds if Republicans do -- putting them in the odd position of using funds they disdainfully characterize as "slush funds" once the measure is passed into law.
Is anybody going to unilaterally disarm? said Sen. Dan Gelber, the Miami Beach Democrat, who is a candidate for state attorney general. I doubt it.
Lakeland Republican Rep. Seth McKeels bill, HB 1207, allows the Senate president, House speaker and minority leaders to create an Affiliated Party Committee (AFC), which may campaign and fundraise for party candidates. It transfers the right to organize such committees to future incoming speakers, presidents and minority leaders once they are elected by their party caucuses.
The bill also introduces new regulations for Electioneering Communications Organizations (ECO), or issue advocacy groups. Much of the states ECO legislation was gutted last year when a federal judge ruled it unconstitutional. The bill attempts to correct the constitutional problem and reenact the legislation.
McKeel said APCs enhance election transparency by requiring lawmakers to disclose funds meant for specific candidates.
It is no secret that legislative leaders have long raised money for their respective political parties, McKeel said. But, the current system is flawed because citizens have no easy way to see how much money has been raised or see which interests gave that money.
APCs would be required to report their contributions and expenditures quarterly, as opposed to the 10-day filing requirement expected of political committees and candidates. The leadership funds of 20 years ago did not include such disclosure provisions.
This is totally new, said Majority Whip Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, R-Miami. This is a brand-new committee."
Rep. Robert Schenk, R-Spring Hill, agreed. Anybody who mentions 'leadership fund' is wrong.
Rep. Ron Saunders, the incoming Democratic minority leader, asserted that Republicans are being motivated by the recent Jim Greer scandal, in which the former Republican Party of Florida chairman was accused of using party funds for personal purchases.
The way to solve that problem is not to change the law, he said. The way to solve that problem is to change the chairman. And, that has already happened.
Rep. Joseph Gibbons, D-Hallandale Beach, said he couldnt speak for the Democatic party as a whole. But, if the bill passes the Senate and is signed into law, he said, the APCs would be a needed tool.
We would probably have to do it in order to compete, said Gibbons, who opposed the measure.
