Tom Kean Adds Campaign Finance Bill to Strengthen Corzine Ethics Package

Republican Senate Leader Tom Kean introduced legislation today that would restrict campaign donations by individuals, corporations, political action committees and labor unions to $15, 000 in a single year. Total annual contributions to political party committees, legislative leadership committees or continuing political committees would be capped at $50, 000. The proposal is modeled on federal law restricting campaign contributions.

"After years of promising ethics reform, Governor Corzine has finally put forward proposals worthy of bipartisan support, but we need to do more to create the honest political system that the public demands and deserves," said Senator Kean of Westfield.

"Individuals, companies and organizations use money to try to shape the legislative process," Kean said. "This bill reduces the influence of any one contributor. It is another step toward a state government that sets policy based solely on what's best for the people, not for political contributors."

Senator Kean's bill is the latest of four Republican ethics bills intended to strengthen the package that Governor Corzine proposed on Sept. 24. These bills include:

S-2323, Baroni – Legislation that would put the governor's ethics plan into law. Changes public contracting processes, limits use of State funds, changes State Ethics Commission membership, adds public corruption to crimes comprising racketeering activity, and changes campaign contributions limits and reporting requirements.

S-2315, O'Toole, Beck -- Prohibits members of Legislature from seeking grants or loans that would benefit their employers.

S-2324, Beck, O'Toole -- Provides full forfeiture of pension of elected or appointed official convicted of any crime touching office.