Baroni: Court Decision Demonstrates Need to Move Quickly to Prevent Felons from Using Campaign Funds
Senator Bill Baroni, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement today regarding a state appeals court ruling prohibiting convicted former State Senator Wayne Bryant from using his campaign funds for legal defense:
“The decision by the appeals court upholding ELEC’s decision to deny indicted officials the use of campaign funds for legal defense is exactly right. Today’s court ruling only demonstrates the need to move quickly to pass Senate bill 2395, which would require the Attorney General to seize campaign funds of convicted candidates and would prohibit convicted criminal offenders from making contributions to candidates and committees. It only stands to reason that if a convicted former official is not allowed to use campaign contributions for legal defense that they should not be permitted to distribute the funds to political allies while incarcerated.
“Those who have betrayed the public trust by profiting from public office should not continue to wield political influence while behind bars. I urge the Legislative leadership to move quickly on this common sense reform measure that will help restore the trust of the people in their elected representatives.”
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November 19, 2008
