Bristol Herald Courier: O’Quinn, Get Serious about Campaign Finance Reform

Investing in bipartisan good governance bills? Sadly, not this year.

We’ve just had the most expensive election in the history of the commonwealth. This heightened Virginians’ strong disapproval of our feeble campaign finance laws.

In a recent Wason Center poll, nearly 80% of Virginia voters, across party lines, agreed that the influence of deep-pocketed donors needs to be curtailed. Eighy-eight percent of Virginians want full transparency of who funds our candidates, while 73% think loopholes allowing politicians to use campaign funds for personal expenses must be closed.

Virginia is one of only two states where candidates can legally use this money for private vacations, mortgages, or yachts.

The chair of the Virginia House subcommittee on campaign finance, Del. Israel O’Quinn (5th District), may have made history this year, killing 14 campaign finance bills, many of which were bipartisan. Without much discussion, and encouraged by the chair, the subcommittee “tabled” the bills, essentially killing them. In last year’s legislative session, a bill restricting personal use of campaign funds passed the House 100-0 before dying in the Senate. This year bills met a speedy demise in the House. Del. O’Quinn justified his votes with, “Sometimes things that pass don’t, and sometimes things that never passed all of the sudden do.” Huh?

Virginians are weary of partisan wrangling and baffling votes contrary to the will of the people. The House of Delegates has a responsibility to seriously review proposed legislation to bring Virginia’s campaign finance laws on par with other states.

Del. O’Quinn, congratulations on your chairmanship of the important Campaign Finance Subcommittee. We’re disappointed that you haven’t committed to good governance bills. Virginia citizens deserve far better.

— Laurie Roberts, Tazewell