A pre-session push for campaign finance reform

Ted O’Brien isn’t seated in the State Senate yet, but he’s
already joining fellow Democrats calling for campaign finance reform.
Specifically, he’s backing Governor Andrew Cuomo’s proposal, which is essentially
a conceptual plan that includes public financing of campaigns.

Last month, O’Brien defeated Republican Sean Hanna for an
open seat in the Senate. The contest was one of the most expensive state races
this year: combined, the candidates spent approximately $1.5 million. And the
Democratic and Republican Senate campaign committees spent another $1.4 million,
approximately, on the race.

Earlier this week, O’Brien appeared alongside State Senator
Tim Kennedy in Buffalo. They called for stronger disclosure requirements and
backed Cuomo’s idea of matching public funds for candidates.

But while Cuomo and many Assembly and Senate Democrats want significant
campaign finance reform, they’re worried that the Senate’s new governing
coalition may stand in the way. The five-member Independent Democratic Conference
and Senate Republicans have an agreement to share leadership duties in the
Senate.

Recent remarks by IDC leader Jeff Klein and GOP conference
leader Dean Skelos have been, at best, lukewarm toward campaign finance reform.
And some Republican senators oppose public financing of campaigns.

On an Albany talk radio program, Cuomo warned Skelos that if
he stands in the way of his agenda, which also includes passing a minimum-wage
increase, he’ll oppose him — though it’s unclear what the governor
meant. Cuomo also said he’d get involved in the issue of the Senate’s leadership, which he’s so far refrained from doing.

This article appears in Dec 12-18, 2012.