For Immediate Release
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Contact
Jonathan Rosen, BerlinRosen Public Affairs (646) 452–5637
Brennan Center for Justice Lauds Fair Elections Now Act
The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law released the following statement today lauding the introduction of the Fair Elections Now Act by Senators Richard Durbin (D-Illinois) and Arlen Specter (R-PA).
Americans recognize that money sometimes plays a warping role in electoral politics and hobbles progress on issues crucial to our country. During the past decade, with Washington mired in stalemate and in thrall to special interests, many states have stepped forward and introduced innovative laws that enhance the power of ordinary citizens in the political process. States as different in political culture as Arizona and Connecticut have created bold systems to reform campaign finance laws, create voluntary public financing, and ensure that enforcement is fair and vigorous, said Suzanne Novak, Deputy Director of the Brennan Centers Democracy Program.
“Senator Durbin and Senator Specter are a tremendous bi-partisan team. This bill is modeled after successful programs in a number of states and cities. It recognizes that voters deserve the chance to elect people who arent beholden to lobbyists and big money. American politics will be invigorated, and voters given a huge new voice, if Congress passes this bill,” said Michael Waldman, the Brennan Centers Executive Director.
About the Brennan Center:
The Brennan Center helped to draft the federal Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, published path-breaking studies of television advertising that were introduced into the congressional record, and played a key role on the legal defense team that defended the law before the U.S. Supreme Court. After advising legislators drafting Connecticuts landmark public funding legislation, enacted in 2005, the Brennan Center was retained as lead counsel for intervenors in two consolidated cases challenging that law. The Brennan Center has played the same role in the successful defense of full public financing systems in Arizona and Maine.