Constitutional Law

Conn. House overrides vetoed campaign-finance bill

By By The Associated Press

HARTFORD, Conn. ? For the second time in two weeks, Connecticut lawmakers have voted to override Gov. M. Jodi Rell's veto of a bill intended to fix legal problems with the state's campaign-finance law. The bill now becomes law.

The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives voted 106-30 during a special session today to re-pass a bill opposed by the Republican governor. The Democratic-controlled Senate voted last week to override her veto.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last month that a section of the law that provides extra public funding to political candidates facing well-financed opponents is unconstitutional. The new bill is an effort to fix the legislation in light of the court ruling.

Rell and other opponents were against a part of the new law that would double the $3 million base grant for gubernatorial candidates who participate in the public campaign-funding program. Rell termed it "a welfare program for politicians."

The override paves the way for Dan Malloy, the Democrats' nominee for governor, to receive $6 million in public funds for his general election campaign.

GOP legislators expressed outrage at the vote, accusing the majority Democrats of using public funds to finance their party's candidate for governor.

"In my 18 years in the House of Representatives, I am hard pressed to remember this body convening to pass a bill for one man," said House Minority Leader Lawrence Cafero Jr., R-Norwalk.

Full post as published by First Amendment Center on August 12, 2010 (boomark / email).