Primaries expose 'loophole' in new system

Mailings sent during the recent legislative primaries have prompted some public campaign financing advocates to consider closing what they consider a loophole in the state's new grant program for candidates.

The Mohegan Tribal Nation, the Service Employees Independent Union and the Connecticut Association of Realtors, spent about $15,500 to influence three publicly financed campaigns in last week's primary.

The money was legally spent on mailers supporting three legislative candidates, Reps. Andres Ayala Jr., D-Bridgeport, Marie Kirkley-Bey, D-Hartford, and John "Corky" Mazurek, D-Wolcott. Each won their respective primaries on Aug. 12.

Such independent expenditures are made without the consent or direct knowledge of candidates and don't count as contributions.

"This is a huge concern and it absolutely has to be addressed by the legislature," Andy Sauer, executive director of Common Cause Connecticut, told the Waterbury Republican-American in Sunday's edition.

He and other advocates fear that lobbyists, state contractors and interest groups will channel large sums of money into legislative races through independent expenditures during this general election season.

State law places no limits on how much political committees established by entities like SEIU can spend on independent expenditures. Also, lobbyists and state contractors, who are no longer allowed to contribute directly to a candidate's campaign, can still give money to most of such political committees.

The 2008 elections are the first under the state's new public financing program and new, far-reaching restrictions on lobbyists and contractors. In order to receive grants, qualified candidates must agree to strict limits on spending.

Participating candidates can seek additional grants if they are targeted for defeat by an independent expenditure. That's why Karen Houghtaling, who challenged Mazurek, was denied the extra money when the real estate brokers spent money on three pro-Mazurek mailers.

Nancy S. Nicolescu said those mailers only exhorted Mazurek and did not mention Houghtaling. She said there was also no evidence of a coordination between the representative and the association.

Lori Brown, executive director of the League of Conservation Voters, set up a new political action committee, Eco Vote Connecticut, to handle independent expenditures. She said campaign spending by groups like hers is important.

"You can't muzzle people," she said. "If somebody wants to know if my 'rep' or senator is performing on the environment in the way I would like them to vote, we should be able to say that."