Taking The Dirty Out of Politics

Can New York State run cleaner, cheaper, and more effective political campaigns?

That’s a question posed by the League of Women Voters of Port Washington-Manhasset, with the support of the Social Justice Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock. The topic will be discussed at a March 7 meeting, “Democracy For Sale: A Case for Fair Elections in New York State,” at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 48 Shelter Rock Road in Manhasset, at 7 p.m.  

“I wonder how many New Yorkers know that over one-third of the money that New York State candidates and political parties raised last year came from a group of just 127 large donors,” League President Jane Thomas, said, in a statement.
LWV members say that there is heightened awareness about the “corruptive influence of money in politics” after the U.S Supreme Court’s Citizens United case.

“New York State needs to find new ways of dealing with its sky-high campaign contributions, gaping loopholes and weak enforcement,” Thomas added.
Invited panelists at the March 7 event include New York State League director, Carol Mellor, author of the League’s paper on Campaign Finance Reform; Ian Vandewalker of the Brennan Center for Justice; and two New York State representatives, Sen. Jack Martins, R-Mineola, and Assemblywoman Michelle Schimel, D-Great Neck.  

Refreshments will be served.