Congressional Leaders, Common Cause Join African-Americans, Latinos in Support of Campaign Finance Reform Recommendations

2/11/2002

From: Paul H. Turner of the Greenlining Institute, 415-547-7552 or 510-290-9489 (cell); e-mail: paulhturner@greenlining.org; Web site: http://www.greenlining.org

News Advisory:

Long-time supporters of campaign finance reform in Congress and Common Cause, will be joining the Greenlining Institute as they announce campaign finance reform recommendations from the perspective of African-Americans and Latinos on Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 9 a.m. at the National Press Club, 529 14th Street N.W., Washington, D.C. This press briefing will occur just before the House of Representatives is set to debate the Shays-Meehan Bill. The press briefing will feature Congressional Black Caucus members Rep. Harold Ford, Jr. (D-Tenn.) and Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.).

While the Congressional Black Caucus remains split over support for campaign finance reform, the African-American community is not split in its disdain and contempt for the current campaign finance system, according to a published report issued by Greenlining's Claiming Our Democracy program. African-Americans and Latinos believe they can't effectively compete for their elected officials' attention so long as large financial contributions grant unfettered access.

"Ethnic minorities have been overlooked in this debate, which is unfortunate given that campaign finance reform is a civil rights issue, and ethnic minorities are the most impacted", says Mary Ann Mitchell, chair of the National Black Business Council, Inc.

Reforms In The Presidential Election Campaign Checkoff System Would Improve Political Equality.

Greenlining believes that a just and democratic society should not guarantee wealth, or access to wealth, as a necessary pre-requisite to win public office. Thus, we call on Congress to reinvigorate the presidential election campaign checkoff system by expanding eligibility to all citizens of voting age. This reform alone would significantly increase the participation rates of low-income and minority Americans in the campaign finance system and shore-up the financial health of the presidential elections campaign fund. Finally, Congress should support a public education program to explain and promote the federal tax form checkoff system, which Greenlining believes could increase funds for the presidential public funding system.

Other Reform Recommendations Supported by African-Americans and Latinos

The Claiming Our Democracy Program has settled on a total of five key campaign finance reform recommendations emanating from research and discussions with African-American and Latino community leaders. The other four recommendations are:

-- Ban On Soft Money -- Regulate Issue Advocacy -- Institute A Public Funding System -- Restore Public Benefit Mandates For Television and Radio Airwaves

The full recommendations report and findings report used to develop the recommendations will be available at the press briefing, along with executives from the Greenlining Institute to answer any questions.

According to Jorge Corralejo, Latin Business Association, "the Enron Campaign finance system we have today prices out minorities, and is an affront to one of the basic tenets of democracy, which is citizen participation". African-Americans and Latinos believe that the current campaign finance system is no way to run a multi-cultural democracy, especially given the huge disparity in wealth that exists between them and white communities. In fact, this disparity may explain why only 5 percent of all political contributions come from minorities, according to "The Color of Money" study done by Public Campaign.

The Claiming Our Democracy program represents a multi-ethnic, pro-democracy movement for campaign finance reform. The program seeks to increase participation of low-income and minority Americans in U.S. democracy, while instilling the basic standards of accountability, equality and justice in the debate for campaign finance reform.

------ The Greenlining Institute is public policy center whose mission is to empower communities of color and other disadvantaged groups through multi-ethnic economic and leadership development, civil rights and anti-redlining activities.