Governor Delivers Speech on Campaign Finance Reform

Last Friday, Gov. Cuomo delivered a speech in Manhattan at the office of the law firm Covington & Burling on campaign finance reform.

The Governor said that is “cautiously optimistic” that New York will reform the state’s campaign finance laws this session.  But he also suggested that a public financing system – along the lines of what government reform groups have been advocating for – may not be achievable. In comments to reporters, the Governor said that independent political spending may make the public financing aspect of the proposed reforms a major challenge:

“An independent expenditure committee comes in – ‘Americas for America’ – and spends $10 million, and nobody knows who it is or where it came from, and that, to me, distorts the system.  And when you’re trying to say to the politicians, you should have this public financing system, but there’s this alternative that could distort everything, it’s very difficult.”

Read the press release from the Brennan Center for Justice, one of the sponsors of the event.

Read coverage of the speech in the NY Times and Capital NY.

Read my prior post regarding the campaign finance reforms the Governor outlined in his State of the state address.