Campaign Finance Reform
Issue
How do we make Minnesota’s campaign finance laws fair and equitable for all participants and the public?
Policy
- Independent expenditures: Oppose any and all efforts to place additional restrictions on truthful, issue-oriented independent expenditure activity, regardless of the timing of the expenditures.
- Fund raising: Adopt law similar to federal campaign law that allows the solicitation of personal political contributions at any time, including when people are at their place of employment.
- Administrative support for political committees by corporations and trade associations: Adopt federal campaign law which permits for-profit and nonprofit corporations to use treasury funds to establish and administer a political action committee. This would include the cost of office space, phones, salaries, utilities, supplies, bank charges, legal and accounting fees and fundraising expenses.
- Federal pre-emption clarification: Clarify that Minnesota campaign finance laws apply to state and local races only. They do not apply to elections for the U.S. House or Senate, which are governed by federal election laws.
- Corporate and trade association endorsements: Adopt a law - similar to federal law - that would allow corporations to communicate support for state and local candidates to their restricted class (i.e. management, shareholders and their families). These communications would not be considered "campaign expenditures" and could be paid for with corporate dollars.
- Opt-in requirement for labor unions: Require labor unions to obtain annual written permission from each member before using any portion of membership dues for political purposes.
- Corporate nonpartisan communication: Remove the requirement for corporations to report nonpartisan Get Out The Vote activities in excess of $200 (211B.15 Subsection 12).
- Advisory opinions: Extend the authority of the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board to give advisory opinions on Minnesota Statutes Chapter 211B, dealing with fair campaign practices and corporate political contributions. (The only way to get an opinion today on this statute is to ask all 87 county attorneys.)
- Campaign materials: Allow businesses to display campaign materials, including lawn signs, on corporate property.
- Penalties reduced: Penalties under the corporate contribution prohibition (Minn. Stat. 211B.15) should reflect the severity of the violation (i.e. the size of the prohibited contribution should be considered and whether it was an intentional or unintentional violation). All criminal penalties under Chapter 10A should be replaced with civil fines.
- False claims penalized: Individuals who intentionally make false or bad-faith claims that a person or business has violated the corporate contribution prohibition shall be liable for defense costs of the party against whom the claim is made.
Business Impact
The business community pays a significant portion of the cost associated with providing state and local government services. Yet, businesspeople seem to be treated like second-class citizens in Minnesota elections. For example, many of the state’s campaign finance restrictions on businesses and business trade associations do not apply to organized labor unions. Labor unions and their members enjoy an unfair advantage because they have more options for fundraising and participating in campaigns.
Passing legislation which levels the playing field for corporate and business-funded organizations’ political action committees will allow for more participation and information to reach Minnesota voters. Members of Minnesota’s business community will be able to participate like their counterparts without the fear of breaking Minnesota’s election laws. Minnesota businesspeople no longer will be treated like second-class citizens in Minnesota elections.
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