Dean says DNC to support VT campaign bill in the Supreme Court.

From the DNC blog today.

http://www.democrats.org/a/2006/02/taking_the_lead.php

It’s one thing to constantly harp on unethical Republicans, and we should continue to shine the light and let all the roaches scatter where they may. But actions speak louder than words, and the Democratic National Committee is taking the lead on the reforms necessary to restore trust in government.

From the AP story:
National Democratic Party supports Vermont campaign finance law

BURLINGTON, Vt. — In an effort to get the “dirty money out of politics,” the Democratic National Committee will ask the U.S. Supreme Court this month to allow states to limit how much is spent on campaigns.

Howard Dean, the chairman of the Democratic Party, announced Monday that the party will file a friend of the court brief with the Supreme Court in support of Vermont’s 1997 campaign finance law.

“I feel very, very strongly that the Democratic Party, in this era of this Republican culture of corruption, has to walk the walk and not just talk the talk,” said Dean.

Vermont adopted stringent limits on both in 1997 – legislation that Dean signed into law while he was governor of Vermont – but the law has never been completely implemented because it is has been under court appeal.

Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean speaks at a news conference in Burlington, Vt., Monday, Feb. 6, 2006. Nine years after Dean proclaimed that ‘money does buy access’ in politics, he said Monday that the Democratic National Committee will back Vermont’s strict campaign finance law when it is challenged later this month before the U.S. Supreme Court. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot)

4 Comments

albert on February 7, 2006 at 5:09 pm

Am I an idiot or does there need to be an actual case in front of the SCOTUS for them to say something.

And what the hell is a ‘friend of the court brief’?

Kahli on February 7, 2006 at 6:01 pm

First of all: Good for Howard!

Secondly, as I understand it a friend of the court brief is a way for a party not directly involved in the case to support one side or the other.

I believe the Bush Administration submitted one during the affirmative action case involving the University of Michigan. And as I recall it was not pro-affirmative action.
floridagal on February 7, 2006 at 6:21 pm

If I understand it correctly…it has been going through the courts for years.

floridagal on February 7, 2006 at 8:27 pm

When I read that statement, my first thought about party backlash was “what else is new.”

More on this issue from the Burlington Free Press. Apparently it is not a popular idea, and it will carry over to other states perhaps.

Dean takes sides in campaign finance court case

Dean was governor of Vermont when the Legislature passed campaign finance reform, and he signed the law. He volunteered to put the Democratic National Committee on rec- ord as endorsing the law after hearing about the pending Supreme Court case from his old friend and political ally Democratic Attorney General William Sorrell.

Sorrell will argue the state’s case for the law before the Supreme Court.

“I’m very proud as the DNC chair to be doing this,” Dean said. It would be hypocritical for Democrats to “pillory Republicans for corruption,” Dean said, and then fail to support a strong campaign reform law such as Vermont’s.

He admitted that some people in the Democratic Party aren’t thrilled he had chosen to put the party on record in support of Vermont’s law. “I think it is going to shock a lot of people. I’ll get some backlash.”

The VT Republican Party condemned this effort as a smear on the state.

albert on February 7, 2006 at 5:09 pm

Am I an idiot or does there need to be an actual case in front of the SCOTUS for them to say something.

And what the hell is a ‘friend of the court brief’?
- Kahli on February 7, 2006 at 6:01 pm
  
  First of all: Good for Howard!
  
  Secondly, as I understand it a friend of the court brief is a way for a party not directly involved in the case to support one side or the other.
  
  I believe the Bush Administration submitted one during the affirmative action case involving the University of Michigan. And as I recall it was not pro-affirmative action.
- floridagal on February 7, 2006 at 6:21 pm
  
  If I understand it correctly…it has been going through the courts for years.
floridagal on February 7, 2006 at 8:27 pm

When I read that statement, my first thought about party backlash was “what else is new.”

More on this issue from the Burlington Free Press. Apparently it is not a popular idea, and it will carry over to other states perhaps.

Dean takes sides in campaign finance court case

Dean was governor of Vermont when the Legislature passed campaign finance reform, and he signed the law. He volunteered to put the Democratic National Committee on rec- ord as endorsing the law after hearing about the pending Supreme Court case from his old friend and political ally Democratic Attorney General William Sorrell.

Sorrell will argue the state’s case for the law before the Supreme Court.

“I’m very proud as the DNC chair to be doing this,” Dean said. It would be hypocritical for Democrats to “pillory Republicans for corruption,” Dean said, and then fail to support a strong campaign reform law such as Vermont’s.

He admitted that some people in the Democratic Party aren’t thrilled he had chosen to put the party on record in support of Vermont’s law. “I think it is going to shock a lot of people. I’ll get some backlash.”

The VT Republican Party condemned this effort as a smear on the state.

Dean says DNC to support VT campaign bill in the Supreme Court.

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