Special Report
September 26, 2002 — Nearly half the states received a failing grade for the campaign finance disclosure required of state-level political party organizations, according to an exhaustive analysis by the Center for Public Integrity released today.
The poor disclosure at the state level will become an even more critical issue when the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act goes into effect in November, as corporations and other special interests divert huge contributions from the national parties to the states. >>
September 26, 2002 — The Center for Public Integrity conducted a nationwide survey of state agencies that collect and monitor campaign finance reports. The survey focused on the reporting, filing, public access and enforcement of campaign finance reports filed by state-wide political party committees. >>
September 26, 2002 — Four states explicitly permit political parties to maintain financial accounts where unlimited donations can be received with no disclosure to the public. And a total of 18 states allow party organizations to shield some aspect of their financial activity – the identity of donors or how money is spent – from public inspection. >>
September 26, 2002 — Even where disclosure laws are among the strongest in the country, political party committees have succeeded in keeping millions of dollars in receipts off the books and hidden from public view. >>
September 26, 2002 — Federal campaign finance laws are generally considered to be the standard against which similar laws in the states are measured. But the Center for Public Integrity survey shows four states—Washington, Oregon, California, and North Carolina—have more stringent laws than those used to govern federally regulated party committees. >>