Mayor Bowser Should Sign Campaign Finance Reform Act to Complete Sweeping Package of Reforms

Council’s Bill to Combat ‘Pay-to-Play’ Politics Bookends Remarkable Year of Reform

WASHINGTON – Tonight, the Council of the District of Columbia voted in favor of the Campaign Finance Reform Amendment Act of 2018, a sweeping campaign finance reform bill that will reduce the disproportionate influence of money in D.C. politics.

Now it heads to the desk of Mayor Muriel Bowser for her signature. The bill would ban businesses that hold more than $250,000 in government contracts from contributing to political campaigns. It would also strengthen the administration and enforcement of D.C.’s campaign finance laws by creating the independent Campaign Finance Board.

“The council has demonstrated its commitment to increasing the influence that District residents have in their own elections. We hope Mayor Bowser will do the same,” said Catie Kelley, director, policy and state programs at CLC. “This bill takes meaningful steps to address pay-to-play politics and will bolster the District’s new public financing system. It works in harmony with the Fair Elections Act by establishing robust coordination restrictions, and creating an expert board to oversee the administration and enforcement of D.C’s campaign finance laws. Together, these reforms go a long way to reducing the corrupting influence of money in D.C. politics.”

The bill has been spearheaded by Councilmember Charles Allen, Chairman of the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee. Campaign Legal Center (CLC) is part of a coalition of groups that support the bill including DC for Democracy, Jews United for Justice, Public Citizen and the Brennan Center for Justice.