Ohio's new election rules!!!! Love LOVE LOVE! Brunner

[Howler]

In an effort to promote greater transparency about who makes campaign contributions, outgoing Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner unveiled today a new set of election rules.
The rules, which were approved by the Ohio Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review, is aimed at offsetting some of the impact of the Citizens United ruling issued by the U.S. Supreme Court in January. In the landmark 5-4 decision, the court overturned a lower court’s ruling and removed existing restraints on corporations, allowing them to spend unlimited amounts of money in political campaigns.
Brunner calls Ohio's new rules “truth serum,” which will help voters learn “vital information” about who's funding campaigns.













http://www.citybeat.com/cincinnati/blog-1634-ohio-gets-new-election-rules.html

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. She is the best!

Well, after our own SOS out here in California...Debra Bowen!

Jennifer Brunner has had to work inside one of the most corrupt states in the Union.

She is a treasure.

I hope she will return to elective office eventually...

[Howler]

3. I hope so too CaliforniaPeggy.

I will support her in anything she wants to pursue.
Ms Brunner is one of the GREATS.

[gmoney]

2. and will they be overturned next month?

with the new SOS and Governor?

[Howler]

5. Nope they can't overturn it. :)

This is the copy and paste letter i got from Brunner's office by e-mail






Truth serum" Is a psychoactive drug that can be used therapeutically to learn vital information for a functional respite from catatonia or mania.

Why talk about truth serum?

Because we now have our own form of it in Ohio to deal with the unprecedented "Citizens United" U.S. Supreme Court decision.

This year's mid-term elections saw a listless Democratic base and more money mania than I have witnessed in decades. Corporations gained the status of flesh-and-blood persons and made independent expenditures for and against candidates in state and federal campaigns.

This fall it was like living in the "Wild, Wild West" of campaign advertising. But, one good thing about looking to the "West" is seeing the sun set on the horizon.

As I leave my office at the end of next week, I am pleased to share with you that permanent rules we offered to address the "Citizens United" case in Ohio were approved by the Ohio Joint Committee on Agency Rule last week. They will take effect before I leave office to be in place for future elections.

Here's how these new rules will empower Ohioans:

We'll be able to know that a campaign ad has been paid for by a corporation, nonprofit corporation or labor organization, how much has been spent and whom they paid for the ad for or against a candidate or committee. They'll have to disclose it.

We'll know in a campaign ad, itself, that it has not been authorized by a candidate or committee, and we can go to the website of the corporation, nonprofit corporation or labor organization to learn more about who is issuing the message. It must be in the ad, or a media outlet can't run it.

We'll be assured that corporations and businesses owned 20% or more by foreign citizens are not trying to influence Ohio elections, because under the rules, they can't.

We'll be assured that corporations, individuals and businesses that have been awarded state or federal money through our state within the last year, are not influencing Ohio elections with independent expenditures, because they can't.

We'll have teeth in the law to go after corporations, nonprofit corporations and labor organizations and the candidates and committees they support who break the rules and coordinate their efforts.


Even though we can't change Citizens United in Ohio, we can apply "truth serum" to make sure citizens' voices remain strong despite its effects.

We have more tools available for us to speak and fight for what we believe in as citizens in the most unique democracy in the world. We can read and learn-and we can advocate.

A new year dawns, and Ohio needs you. I hope you'll stay involved. I'm wishing you the best in the new year ahead.

Sincerely,



Jennifer Brunner
Ohio Secretary of State

[gratuitous]

4. I wonder if the rules will survive her successor?

Looking them over, these are some good rules, especially the ones designed to find out who might be behind such benign-sounding groups like "Citizens for Good Things" and "Concerned Ohioans Who Prefer Integrity and Expertise." The article doesn't mention deadlines, and there may not be any. Right now, the FEC reporting deadlines encourage and reward astroturf groups who organize late and don't have to do any reporting until after ballots are cast. There's no reason in this day and age for delays in disclosure, and the rules look like they're written with some teeth in them (i.e., advertisers don't have to run ads from groups that don't comply with the regs).

[Howler]

6. She said in her letter it was" Permanent" n/t

n/t

[valerief]

7. Huh? So enforcement of the new rules will be nil, I expect.

Brunner, who didn't seek reelection, leaves office next week. She will be replaced by Republican Jon Husted.

[Howler]

8. sigh.....with a repuke Secretary of state......

Yep.:banghead:

However, if and when the Ohio voters Wake The F56k up at least it is in the Ohio election rule book which is a damn site better then nothing. In the right hands it could definitely be enforced to keep the voters informed of exactly who is supporting what.
To me thats a big win for J Brunner and the people of Ohio.