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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAnn Ravel Resigns Her Seat On The Federal Election Commission
February 21, 2017·4:59 AM ET
Heard on Morning Edition
@AnnMRavel
By ANN M. RAVEL FEB. 20, 2017
Nearly three years ago, during my tenure as vice chairwoman of the Federal Election Commission, I wrote in this newspaper that my own agency was failing to enforce campaign finance laws. My efforts to cooperate with the other commissioners to fulfill the agencys mission had been thwarted, revealing an unfortunate truth: The F.E.C. was betraying the American public and jeopardizing our democracy.
It pains me to report that the agency remains dysfunctional, more so than ever, as I prepare to depart at the end of this month as my term nears its end. This is deeply worrisome, because the F.E.C.s mission is to ensure fairness in elections. One of its core responsibilities is to make sure that all money in political campaigns is disclosed. As Justice Louis Brandeis said, sunlight is the best of disinfectants. This quotation graces the street-facing window of the F.E.C.
Unfortunately, a controlling bloc of three Republican commissioners who are ideologically opposed to the F.E.C.s purpose regularly ignores violations or drastically reduces penalties. The resulting paralysis has allowed over $800 million in dark money to infect our elections since Citizens United, the 2010 Supreme Court decision that allowed corporations and unions to spend unlimited sums to elect or defeat candidates. ... These commissioners have been enabled by the commissions very structure. By law, no more than three of its six members can be from the same party. Four must agree to begin an investigation.
This breakdown has been purposeful. Last year, for instance, those three commissioners stopped the agency from even investigating allegations of pervasive workplace political coercion. These same commissioners also blocked enforcement actions against donors who admitted setting up sham limited liability corporations for the sole purpose of pumping anonymous campaign money into elections.
....
Ann M. Ravel was appointed to the Federal Election Commission in 2013 by President Obama and was its chairwoman in 2015.
KittyWampus
(55,894 posts)msanthrope
(37,549 posts)still_one
(92,190 posts)an editorial piece in the times to set the record straight from where the original piece was lacking
ffr
(22,669 posts)It's the only language they understand apparently. Law and order that's not politically motivated must be restored.
nikibatts
(2,198 posts)Cosmocat
(14,564 posts)to have a shot at retaking the levers of power to get this stopped AND turned around.
Redistricting, voter suppression, this kind of of shit ...
They are fucking relentless, and because our team ebbs and flows so much, we now have to pull out EPIC turnouts, or ...
Solly Mack
(90,765 posts)world wide wally
(21,743 posts)orangecrush
(19,551 posts)Are running the chicken coop.
erronis
(15,247 posts)That old refrain, "first they came for ... but I wasn't one of them"
Those old wily foxes, especially the ones who have never really worked and produced substance, they are killing the golden goose. Eventually they will starve in their gilded towers, their servants will be looking to right wrongs, the people will be hungry for those fatted parasites.
Tatiana
(14,167 posts)She's an amazingly bright woman. I wish DiFi would be replaced in the Senate with someone like her.
Mr. Ected
(9,670 posts)Six members, not more than 3 members from the same party. Gridlock exemplified. The only remedy is a 7th independent member to act as the deciding vote, pursuant to the very regulations they exist to enforce.
still_one
(92,190 posts)Leith
(7,809 posts)That would be a much better and more workable solution.