Outgoing Representative Darryl Pillsbury may not be the most popular elected official in the Pollina camp this week.
Pillsbury, of course, changed his vote on the 2nd attempt at campaign finance overhaul in as many years. Without his defection, the Governor’s veto would have been overridden and the rules would be different. His reasoning? That “For independents, this campaign law stinks.”
It’s a bitter irony indeed, then, that had Pillsbury voted for the override, Anthony Pollina would not be obliged to return $28,000 of contributions that he doesn’t have, simply because he opted to run as an Independent.
Here’s what the current law requires (from the Secretary of State’s website):
Contributions to Candidates and Candidate Political Committees
- $1,000 per election from individuals and entities that are not parties or political committees
(Again, that “per election” is the issue… candidates in major parties have two elections this year – the primary and the general, hence $2000. Independents have one election, limiting them to $1000 only, and 35 contributors have already given Pollina above that amount)
And here’re the relevant passages from the bill that Pillsbury joined the Governor in defeating (emphasis added):
(c) A candidate for the office of governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, auditor of accounts, or attorney general shall not accept contributions totaling more than $1,000.00 from a single source or political committee for any election…
…(n) The following shall apply to independent candidates:
(1) The limitations on contributions set forth in subsection (a), (b), or (c) of this section shall be doubled for independent candidates prior to the date of a primary election.
Woops.