Nancy Watzman's blog

Not So Desperate Housewives

Nancy Watzman — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 02:15:15 +0000

Over at Colorado Confidential, read about not-so-desperate housewife donors and a flap over a fundraiser invitation bearing a corporate logo.

Once Linked to DeLay, Always Linked to DeLay

Nancy Watzman — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 03:02:39 +0000

A Denver Post profile Rep. Bob Beauprez (R-CO), who is running for governor, quotes Public Campaign Action Fund's DeLay Rankings to show how close the congressman is to retired Rep. Tom DeLay (R-TX)...and goes on to show how Beauprez practices the same sort of pay-to-play politics.

Public Financing Action in the States

Nancy Watzman — Tue, 23 May 2006 17:40:45 +0000

Our sister organization, Public Campaign, released an editorial memorandum on how states are forging the way on campaign finance reform while Washington remains mired in scandal.

Portland, OR Voter Owned Elections a success

Nancy Watzman — Thu, 18 May 2006 14:12:32 +0000

In the first primary elections held under Portland, Oregon’s Voter Owned Elections law on May 17, the new law helped make Portland elections fair, open, and accountable with a more level playing field, less campaign spending, reduced influence of special interests, and new options for genuine participation in politics by typical residents from nearly all city neighborhoods, according to the Friends of Voter Owned Elections.

CA Committee Suspends Clean Elections Hearings

Nancy Watzman — Thu, 18 May 2006 14:11:15 +0000

Yesterday the California Senate Elections Committee abruptly suspended a hearing on AB 583, The California Clean Money and Fair Elections Act, reportedly because Senator Gloria Romero (D) left the capitol.

Reading Between the Lines: An Interview w/ Sherwood Boehlert

Nancy Watzman — Thu, 11 May 2006 14:46:04 +0000

More reading between the lines here...In an interview with House Science Committee Chairman Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY) the Congressman decries heightened partisanship in Congress and how tough it's been to protect the environment--but neglects to make the campaign money link.

Tax Bill Favors Wealthy

Nancy Watzman — Thu, 11 May 2006 14:29:32 +0000

House Republicans pushed through a tax cut for the wealthy yesterday by a vote of 244 to 185. Eighty percent of the tax savings, says the Tax Policy Center, a nonprofit venture of the Urban Institute and the Brookings Institution, would flow to the top 10 percent to taxpayers, and almost 20% would go to the top one-tenth of one percent.

NC Committee Calls for Public Financing Pilot Project

Nancy Watzman — Tue, 09 May 2006 15:39:31 +0000

As one of ten bills approved yesterday, the North Carolina House Select Committee on Ethics and Government Reform recommended legislation that will create a pilot program offering full public financing in four legislative districts. The pilot project is modeled on the state’s successful Voter-Owned, Clean Elections judicial public financing program.

Hawaii Reformers Beat Back Anti-CFR Attack

Nancy Watzman — Mon, 08 May 2006 21:23:33 +0000

Voter Owned Elections Hawaii was one of the main grassroots groups that helped foil an attempt in the legislature to gut a 2005 campaign finance law that limits corporate contributions to $1,000 per election, reports the Star Bulletin.

CT Clean Elections Fix

Nancy Watzman — Thu, 04 May 2006 16:34:18 +0000

Here is the Hartford Courant's report on the law strengthening the landmark Clean Elections law that the Connecticut legislature approved late last night, with just minutes left in the session. Public Campaign executive director Nick Nyhart blogged on this minutes after passage. It is particularly ironic that Connecticut continues to take a stand for reform, the same day that the U.S. House approved a weak lobbying "reform" law.