is this the Elections Chief?
Posted on 03/24/2015 10:40:18 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
Madison — The state must revise its laws governing political spending — especially that done by independent groups — in light of recent free speech decisions by federal courts, the head of Wisconsin's elections agency told lawmakers Tuesday.
Spurred by federal judges, outside groups and their own preference for less regulation, GOP lawmakers are considering changes to the state's complex campaign laws that would likely make it easier for independent groups to spend money to influence Wisconsin politics.
Kevin Kennedy, executive director of the state Government Accountability Board, told a joint elections committee of legislators that decisions in federal appellate courts in recent years have overtaken the state's laws and rendered them out of step with the prevailing view of the federal constitution.
At issue are fundamental rights of the public to speak freely about issues and candidates and to have enough information and context about the people doing the speaking to evaluate what they say.
"There has been a parade of court cases that have rendered the Wisconsin campaign finance laws wholly inadequate to the times," Kennedy said.
Kennedy told lawmakers that they would have to respect those decisions by ensuring that state law didn't infringe on the free speech of independent political groups, which can't be regulated as strictly when they don't expressly call for the election or defeat of candidates. But he cautioned against eliminating so much disclosure in the state's campaign finance law, known as Chapter 11, that the public would no longer know who's spending money in races.
(Excerpt) Read more at jsonline.com ...
Kevin Kennedy needs to be replaced.
FReep Mail me if you want on, or off, this Wisconsin interest ping list.
is this the Elections Chief?
Liz Warren’s Dad?
Liz Warren’s brother?
Two points..better than my joke..
liz warren's great grandfather..
Kevin Kennedy, chief of the Government Accountability Board (elections). He needs to be replaced.
He needs to be pilloried, tarred & feathered AND beaten with a sharp, pointed stick.
Kennedy is trying to make something more complicated than it really is......if you do not have the ability to show a photo ID, find one. If you do have a photo ID, then you get to vote. The whole thing about beggars can't be choosers is real. If you want something, you have to get up and get a photo ID. They are there to be had, you just have to get one, but you have to get up and get one.
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