A bipartisan group of campaign finance reformers joined together yesterday at a press conference announcing their commitment to lobbying and ethics reform. BNA Money and Politics reports; "Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) and other lawmakers said at a press conference that they are working together on a strategy that will permit identical bills to be introduced in the House and Senate. McCain said he and other lawmakers will push for passage of a reform bill in the first two months of the 110th Congress." In addition, Senator Feingold stated plans of proposing restrictions on 527 groups. USA Today also reported on this press conference. Democratic consensus will prove to be difficult, particularly over such matters as banning privately funded travel. CQ Today (subscription required) outlines this highly debatable issue of banning travel paid for by organizations that employ lobbyists.

One of the reasons a travel ban is unlikely is heavy pressure from pro-Israel groups, among them the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which has a long history of paying for congressional visits to Israel. As an alternative to banning all privately financed trips, Democrats might require preapproval of trips by each chamber’s ethics committee and continue the prohibition on lobbyist-funded travel. That could allow a wide range of educational and non-profit groups to continue to pay for lawmakers to travel the globe.

Roll Call (subscription required) reports that Senate Majority Reid plans to initiate lobbying and ethics reform with a previous GOP-authored bill. This bill passed in the Senate was opposed by some Senators and advocacy groups for being too weak. By using the old bill, it can be brought straight to the floor because it already had broad support.

The Senate bill, which passed 90-8 in March, bans all gifts and meals from lobbyists, doubles the one-year cooling off period for staffers and lawmakers-turned-lobbyists, and requires lawmakers to receive preapproval from the Ethics Committee before taking privately funded trips.

BNA Money and Politics and Roll Call (subscription required) have reported on the FEC decision to go forward with a pilot program that allows those accused of violating campaign finance rules to have closed hearings whereby the commissioners will decide whether or not to take on the case. This change of enforcement procedures allows the accused to contest the charges. Some feel that this will only slow down the enforcement process. Two other measures were voted on:

FEC backed a policy statement and proposed regulation regarding parties who are accused of violating recordkeeping and reporting requirements and argue that they made their "best efforts" to comply with campaign finance law. . . .The FEC advanced a new policy that would reduce by up to 75 percent penalties for violators of campaign finance law that self-report their offenses.

See the Campaign Legal Center blog and More Soft Money More Hard Law blog for differing opinions on the issue.

Posted by Amanda Adams, 01:56:03 PM