Public Campaign: National Clean Elections Leader to Testify at Maryland Senate Hearing
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 27, 2008
2:53 PM
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CONTACT: Public Campaign
Rick Bielke
Communications Director
(Ph)202.293.0222
rbielke@publicampaign.org
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National Clean Elections Leader to Testify at Maryland Senate Hearing
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WASHINGTON, DC - February 27 -Nick Nyhart, president and CEO of Public Campaign, will be testifying on Wednesday, February 27th at a hearing of the Maryland Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee.
Nyhart will be testifying in favor of SB 583, legislation that would bring Clean Elections, or full public financing of elections, to Maryland's legislative races. SB 583 is modeled on the successful systems in place in seven states and two cities, including Arizona, Maine, and Connecticut.
"Candidates for the General Assembly are forced to spend more and more time raising money every election cycle," said Nyhart. "Under Clean Elections, candidates would spend their time talking with voters and none dialing for campaign dollars."
Today, nearly 218 candidates in Arizona, Connecticut, Maine, New Jersey, and North Carolina were elected to office under Clean Elections modeled systems. Eighty four percent of the Maine legislature and nine out of 11 statewide elected officials in Arizona ran and won under Clean Elections. Clean Elections levels the playing field and allows qualified candidates from diverse backgrounds a chance to run for office regardless of wealth.
"Thousands of dollars from electric utilities, developers, and other interests make their way into campaign coffers every year in order to gain access and influence with elected leaders," said Nyhart. "It's time to put voters on an even playing field as corporate executives and insider lobbyists."
Nyhart will be testifying alongside representatives from Progressive Maryland, League of Women Voters, Common Cause Maryland, the NAACP, and others.
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