This is poorly crafted legislation, plain and simple. Can a candidate accept a donation for the primary of 2017, even though they received it in 2011? Apparently the answer is yes. What a joke. That's on you, Peduto - and everyone else who had a hand in crafting this pointless, unenforceable leglislation.
Say what you want about the wicked cabal that surrounds Ravenstahl and the Dread Lord Zober, at least they are complying with campaign finance laws, while the Peduto-istas are breaking them.
If donations over these limits are so bad that we need a law against them, then there should be a law against them. Was the ordinance merely symbolic? Was this just an attempt by the "progressives" to build a record on certain litmus test issues for liberals, like the stolen gun ordinance and the buffer zone? Ordinances that area unenforceable, totaly redundant with existing state and federal law, but that provide the councilmembers who vote for them a bullet point in their campaign lit aimed at lefties?
Here's the solution for Bruce Kraus
(and Dowd and Smith) - give the money back. If you're well heeled supporters are still willing to support you, they can write you another check on May 18th.
Here's the problem with your analysis that let's these scofflaws off the hook - what if the candidate in question doesn't make it to the next "covered election" because they lost the primary?
The illegal donations received by Kraus, Dowd and Harris could not be compartmentalized and carried forward if they are not participating in the next covered election - unless the definitions are so loose that it could mean any future election that the candidate may possibly think of entering in pertutity.
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If donations over these limits are so bad that we need a law against them, then there should be a law against them. Was the ordinance merely symbolic? Was this just an attempt by the "progressives" to build a record on certain litmus test issues for liberals, like the stolen gun ordinance and the buffer zone? Ordinances that area unenforceable, totaly redundant with existing state and federal law, but that provide the councilmembers who vote for them a bullet point in their campaign lit aimed at lefties?
Here's the solution for Bruce Kraus
(and Dowd and Smith) - give the money back. If you're well heeled supporters are still willing to support you, they can write you another check on May 18th.
The illegal donations received by Kraus, Dowd and Harris could not be compartmentalized and carried forward if they are not participating in the next covered election - unless the definitions are so loose that it could mean any future election that the candidate may possibly think of entering in pertutity.