News Clips

"There's great risk and great potential harm to everything already enshrined in our Constitution if we do open up this Pandora's box."

In Massachusetts, money buys access to legislators, says Pam Wilmot, the executive director of Common Cause Massachusetts, a nonpartisan democracy group. “It’s an unfortunate part of the political system where I think the public is the ultimately the loser,” Wilmot said.

“It's about limits being the same for everyone,” said Pam Wilmot, executive director of Common Cause Massachusetts. “Public confidence is important, and everybody needs to play by the same rules.”

That the Black and Latino Caucus voluntarily identified a donor is encouraging, but the process still should have a formal mechanism for disclosure, said Pam Wilmot, executive director of Common Cause Massachusetts. “That should be part of the package — having strict disclosure of the source of the funds and the amount so it’s all above board and the public can weigh in if there are any other issues,” Wilmot said. “I think the good news is that the vast majority of caucuses are not going along with raising money from outside groups.”

Wilmot submitted a petition to Office of Campaign and Political Finance on Nov. 7, asking the agency to reexamine the “rulemaking concerning political activity by nonprofit entities, groups, organizations and unincorporated associates,” after the Supreme Judicial Court upheld a longstanding ban on campaign donations from businesses. In response, the OCPF drafted the proposed regulation. During the Tuesday hearing on the proposed rule, Wilmot said the draft regulation “was the appropriate thing to do.”

"We're definitely pleased that the agency adopted our recommendations with just a few minor tweaks," said Pam Wilmot, executive director of Common Cause Massachusetts. "We look forward to looking more thoroughly at the details, and the process will continue, but we think it's the right decision based on the statute, the law and good public policy."