2012 Connecticut Senate Debate: on Government Reform


Susan Bysiewicz: Repeal Citizens United; end loopholes for special interests

Murphy and Bysiewicz agreed on the necessity for legislative action or a constitutional amendment to modify or repeal a Supreme Court decision, Citizens United vs. the Federal Election Commission, that they said has given more power to special interests to affect campaigns.

Bysiewicz criticized the effects of "loopholes and incentives" for special interests and said that "This election is all about restoring a sense of balance to Washington."

Source: Minuteman News Center on 2012 CT Senate debate May 30, 2012

Susan Bysiewicz: Public financing for federal elections

Murphy said he was "proud" to work on Connecticut's laws calling for publicly financed campaigns and said Washington should follow the same model. He also proposed a constitutional amendment overturning the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision, which allowed the formation of political committees that could accept unlimited donations.

Bysiewicz also said she would propose a bill to bring public financing to federal elections similar to the ones that apply to Connecticut's statewide races. She also pitched a plan to ban gifts and campaign contributions from lobbyists. "Wealthy people have enough advocates in Washington," Bysiewicz said. "That's what this primary is about. It's about who will stand up for the middle class."

Source: Easton Daily Voice on 2012 CT Senate debate May 24, 2012

  • The above quotations are from 2012 Connecticut Senate Debate.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Government Reform.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Chris Murphy on Government Reform.
  • Click here for more quotes by Linda McMahon on Government Reform.
Candidates and political leaders on Government Reform:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R) 		Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D)
IA-1:Bruce Braley(D)
LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R) 		Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
Please consider a donation to OnTheIssues.org!
Click for details -- or send donations to:
1770 Mass Ave. #630, Cambridge MA 02140
E-mail: submit@OnTheIssues.org
(We rely on your support!)

Page last updated: Dec 04, 2018