An architect of California's new top-two primary system has turned his attention to shaking up how campaigns are funded.
Steve Peace, a former state legislator and finance director who now chairs the Independent Voter Project, said Wednesday that he plans to file a ballot measure on campaign finance for the 2014 ballot. He said his attorneys are now focused on the "legal aspects" of the proposal, which has been in the works for a year.
"Our lawyers are working very hard on understanding what the limits of Citizens United is and is not and some pretty dramatic ways in which we can change, and I mean very dramatically change the way campaigns are run," he said, referring to the 2009 U.S. Supreme Court case that opened the door to unlimited spending by federal super PACs.
Peace wouldn't offer specifics on his ideas, which he plans to unveil after the November election. But he cited discounted postal rates for bulk mail sent by political parties as well as the influence of independent committees that, unlike candidate campaigns, can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money to influence a race.
"No organization, whether it's the Republican Party, the Democratic Party, or an (independent expenditure committee) ought to be able to operate as a Laundromat," he said. "I think we've reformed ourselves into a Gordian knot ... with the perverse result of separating the candidate from their messaging."
PHOTO CREDIT: Then-state Sen. Steve Peace, D-Chula Vista, speaks to reporters Monday, June 17, 2002, in Sacramento. (AP Photo/ Rich Pedroncelli).
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