Wall Street Journal: 2020 Democrats Call for End to Self-Fundraising, Private Donors

12.13.2019 / By Joshua Jamerson and Biography @joshjame joshua.jamerson@wsj.com Julie Bykowicz
Wall Street Journal: 2020 Democrats Call for End to Self-Fundraising, Private Donors

Paul S. Ryan, vice president of policy and litigation at Common Cause, a good government group that supports a contribution match system, said limits on contributions exist to prevent corruption. “A candidate cannot be corrupted by her own spending, so it can’t be limited. By contrast, there can be corruption of a candidate by a donor giving a big check,” he said.

WASHINGTON—The late entrance of billionaire Michael Bloomberg into the Democratic presidential primary is highlighting an idea tossed around by several top 2020 contenders: outlawing self-financed campaigns.

Former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota all support mandatory public financing for federal elections, which would limit campaign spending and prohibit outside financial support—including self-funding. The idea would likely require a constitutional amendment, as the Supreme Court has in two major decisions enshrined political spending as free speech.

Meanwhile, South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg wouldn’t bar self-funding or outside donations, instead proposing revamping the existing public-financing option for presidential candidates, which has all but gone extinct in recent years. Several other Democratic candidates support this as a transitional step.

Several 2020 Democrats are smarting over Mr. Bloomberg’s candidacy. So far, the former New York City mayor and founder of the eponymous financial-data and news company has plunged $85 million into television ads that have blanketed national airwaves. That has revived the debate about whether wealthy Americans should be allowed to pour their own fortunes into presidential bids. …

Paul S. Ryan, vice president of policy and litigation at Common Cause, a left-leaning good government group that supports a contribution match system, said limits on contributions exist to prevent corruption.

“A candidate cannot be corrupted by her own spending, so it can’t be limited. By contrast, there can be corruption of a candidate by a donor giving a big check,” he said.

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