For Immediate Release
November 30, 2015
Contact: Darby Hickey
(202) 724-8105
Grosso to Reintroduce Legislation Increasing Power of Individuals in D.C. Elections
Washington, D.C.—At the D.C. Council’s December 1 Legislative Meeting, Councilmember David Grosso (I-At Large) will reintroduce legislation to establish a system allowing for public financing of elections in the District of Columbia. The legislation comes after Grosso successfully advocated for the dissolution of the FreshPAC and introduced a bill to close the loophole allowing unlimited fundraising by Political Action Committees during non-election years. This legislation is the latest in a series of elections and ethics reform bills that Grosso has introduced since joining the Council in 2013, including an earlier proposal for publicly financed campaigns.
“Public financing of campaigns would give greater voice to all voters and reduce the disproportionate influence of big donors in D.C. politics,” Grosso said. “We must ensure that everyone has an opportunity to participate in and positively influence the political process, regardless of how much or how little they are able to contribute, or if they do not contribute at all.”
Grosso’s legislation proposes to:
- Create a new, independent office at the Board of Ethics and Government Accountability to provide robust oversight of campaign finance laws and public financing of elections.
- Provide public dollar matches for campaign donations to candidates of $100 or less.
- Require candidates to meet a certain threshold of small donations from D.C. residents in order to qualify to receive public financing.
At 8:30am, Tuesday, December 1, 2015, Councilmember Grosso will join the D.C. Fair Elections Coalition for a press conference on the proposed public financing of elections bill in advance of its introduction at the Legislative Meeting. The press conference will be held in room 120 of the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington D.C.
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