Governor Douglas vetoes Campaign Finance Reform bill

Montpelier, Vermont - May 30, 2007

Douglas announced late Wednesday afternoon he is rejecting the new campaign finance bill -- saying it would have benefited special interests and disadvantaged political parties.

The Vermont Public Interest Research Group, which worked on the bill, calls the veto shocking and astonishing. "It seems to me the Governor is using pure politics as his rationale to veto this moderate campaign finance legislation. This bill was an appropriate response...

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MONTPELIER, VT (2007-05-30)

(Host) Governor Jim Douglas has vetoed a campaign finance reform bill passed by the Legislature this session.

The campaign finance bill places limits on contributions by political parties to individual candidates and it places a cap on overall contributions by a single individual.

Paul Burns is the executive director of Vermont Public Interest Research Group. Burns says he was astonished by the governor's veto and doubts that the bill is vulnerable to a court challenge.

(Burns) "This bill is nothing like the law that was overturned by the Supreme Court last year. The bill that was just passed by the Legislature, by contrast, doesn't have the lowest limits in the country...

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May 31, 2007

MONTPELIER – Vermont may continue on without new campaign finance rules after Gov. James Douglas on Wednesday vetoed a bill establishing new limits. Lawmakers, who approved the measure, could try to override that decision at a veto session expected to be held this summer.

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