Get BIG MONEY OUT of Politics

 Let's get some common sense campaign finance legislation passed this upcoming General Assembly.

  Background

Virginia needs comprehensive campaign finance reform. Our campaign finance laws are among the weakest in the country:

1. Virginia has no dollar limits on campaign donations.
   (One of only five states in the entire country.)
   
2. Virginia allows corporate contributions.
   (Which 22 states and the federal government ban.)
   
3. Virginia has no restrictions on personal use of campaign donations.
   (Campaign contributions to candidates can be redirected to pay for candidates’ personal expenses, without notice to donors.)
   
4. Virginia campaign finance laws do little to hold candidates accountable.
   (The Department of Elections, whose mandate includes the administration of campaign finance laws, lacks adequate authority and funding to regulate and monitor the millions of dollars influencing our elections.)

   It is not surprising that in 2020 the bipartisan Coalition for Integrity ranked Virginia 46th out of 51 in the S.W.A.M.P Index, a cross-state comparative analysis of government transparency and accountability. Last year Virginia's legislature passed only three out of two dozen campaign finance bills.