Throughout its troubled history – dating back long before I took this office – confusion, dysfunction and inefficiency have plagued the Campaign Finance and Government Transparency Commission.
The public, understandably, has questioned the legitimacy of rulings by a watchdog agency that’s handpicked by the officials it regulates. More recently, the commission has made plenty of news for personnel issues that have led to court cases, but no news for investigating and acting on complaints that continue to add up.
I appreciate the time and talent given to the commission by its current members, who don’t earn one cent in salary for a tough job that no one seeks. They are public servants with great integrity. Nevertheless, even a strong team with good intent falls short when the system itself is broken, and I do think the system is broken here.
Though there seems to be some confusion on this issue, the Campaign Finance Commission doesn’t answer to the governor’s office. It’s an independent body that hires its own staff.
While I can’t do anything about the personnel issues that obviously need resolving, I can propose and fight for reforms to the commission board that will remove even the appearance of conflicts of interest.
Next year, I’ll ask the General Assembly to pass a reform plan that will expand the number of commissioners, add appointments from the judiciary, and assure that no public official’s campaign is investigated by commissioners appointed by his or her branch of government.
My plan calls for expanding the commission from five to 12 members. The executive, legislative and judicial branches would each appoint four members. The 12 members would then make their own appointment, a 13th member who would serve as chair.
Cases originating from one branch of government would be decided by commissioners appointed by the other two branches. For example, if the commission studied a complaint against a judge’s campaign, commissioners appointed by the executive and legislative branches would vote on the case. The chairman would serve on each of these ad hoc committees and provide tie-breaking votes where necessary.
It’s imperative we get the commission on its feet and functioning again. It appears the commission hasn’t acted on any cases in many months, even though a backlog of cases exists. Candidates who have broken our campaign finance laws should face quick and appropriate sanctions, and candidates who face frivolous complaints shouldn’t have to wait months or years under a cloud of suspicion before a case is dismissed.
Last year, I worked to pass a law that gives the commission the power to promulgate rules and regulations so that candidates receive clear guidelines on what they should and shouldn’t do. I would like to see the commission exercise those powers. Candidates need clarity to navigate often confusing rules. The lack of clarity has led to a “gotcha” culture where complaints to the commission have become standard fare on both sides of the aisle for political gamesmanship.
With stronger guidelines and a commission that avoids the appearance of conflicts of interest, I believe we can get the system functioning efficiently and effectively. That’s the first step in gaining public trust in the integrity of our political system.
Nathan Deal is governor of Georgia.
