I appreciated the excellent column by attorney John Brautigam, “Legislators can abolish leadership PACs” (March 8). He is absolutely right that those PACs are a detriment to public confidence in the democratic process and its proper functioning in Maine.
If people want their representatives and senators to serve in the public interest, the law must prevent them from spending their time courting wealthy donors.
PAC contributions are unlimited, and that means that moneyed interests with an interest in legislation can heighten their influence with big contributions. When big money “speaks” in the election process, it drowns out the voices of individual voters and lessens the accountability of legislators and office holders to the electorate.
This is an across-the-board problem that requires a simple, even-handed fix. It is not about Republicans or Democrats, House or Senate members, or privately-funded candidates or those who use Clean Election funds. It is a big money problem, pure and simple.
Legislators should vote to ban leadership PACs and increase transparency, both of which would help keep lawmakers accountable to the people of Maine.
David Blocher, Litchfield
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