March 13, 2013
Today’s vote by the City Council will weaken the City’s strong disclosure requirements for independent expenditures. It will deprive voters of complete information about spending by outside groups in New York City elections. We are disappointed that the Council has chosen to override Mayor Bloomberg’s veto.
In 2010, in response to the controversial Citizens United decision, 83 percent of New York City voters approved a City Charter amendment requiring disclosure of all independent spending in New York City elections. The Charter requires spending of $1,000 or more to be disclosed. When an organization spends $5,000 or more, it must also disclose the contributions it receives. In March 2012, the Campaign Finance Board approved rules that are aimed at providing the public with a clear, comprehensive picture of election-related spending in New York City.
The legislation enacted by the Council today supersedes some of those rules and exempts spending for mass mailings that unions, corporations and other membership organizations use to promote candidates to their members.
In the two special elections since the CFB’s rules were adopted, $35,000 in outside spending on mass mailings helped elect two City Council members. Under the Council’s legislation, such spending will no longer be disclosed to the public. In the most recent Queens race, the outside spending amounted to nearly 20 percent of the winning candidate’s spending on his own campaign. That election was decided by only 80 votes. Outside spending can have a clear impact on election results.
Disclosure helps voters understand who is speaking and trying to influence the outcome of the election. Just as important, disclosure helps voters hold candidates accountable for their supporters during an election and for the policies they pursue.
New Yorkers want and deserve access to complete information about the interests supporting candidates for City office. The legislation approved by the Council today will hide some of that information from public view.