liz_lempert.JPG

File photo of Princeton Mayor Liz Lempert.

(Martin Griff/The Times of Trenton)

By David Goodman

On July 4, 2014, the impossible happened. No ordinary Independence Day, this time, crowds of average citizens celebrated the founding of our democratic republic by proving the skeptics and pundits wrong. More than 50,000 people came together in a national online crowd-funding effort that, by nightfall on the East Coast, with fireworks booming overhead, raised more than $1 million in a single day. With fund-raising mostly from small donations, the MayDay PAC – the citizens’ “Super PAC to end all Super PACs” – went over the top. An overall goal set 30 days earlier to raise $5 million by July 4 was reached.

Ten days later, on July 14, away from the buzz of social media, the Princeton mayor and council, meeting in regular session, voted its consent in support of anti-corruption legislation. Calling for “tough, new anti-corruption laws for politicians, lobbyists and outside groups such as Super PACs to restore ordinary Americans as the most important stakeholders in government,” Princeton became the first municipality in the nation to approve such a resolution.

It may seem a stretch to make a connection between the whirlwind, 60-day campaign of the MayDay PAC to fund reform of a dysfunctional U.S. Congress and the quiet, deliberative action of the Princeton Council. But, in fact, there is one. Both tell us that campaign finance reform — which Washington Beltway insiders claimed voters care little or nothing about — does matter. Both have elevated the issue of money in politics in the midterm congressional election, locally and nationally. And both have attracted national attention.

Launched May 1, the first-round goal of the MayDay PAC was to raise $1 million from ordinary Americans in one month. Nearly 13,000 individuals contributed more than $1 million in 13 days. That was matched, dollar-for-dollar, by a small group of millionaires — Democrat, Republican and Libertarian. With $2 million in the bank, the results startled the critics. Cable news and the blogosphere crackled with excitement – even if mixed with some “wait-and-see” skepticism about the next turn.

The second MayDay campaign began June 1. Where 13,000 people contributed and won pledges from others in May, these numbers grew to more than 50,000 by the first days of July. Americans rallied and, with their pledges in the final hours of July 4, said, in effect, “Our democracy is too precious and valuable to be hijacked by special interests and Big Money.”

With $12 million raised and matched, the MayDay PAC has launched a test this summer to win at least five and, perhaps, as many as eight congressional races in 2014. Its initial goal was five races – two Republican candidates and three Democrats all pledged to reform campaign finance laws. Having raised additional funds, the MayDay PAC now plans to target three more races for Congress for a total of eight in this year’s midterms. If this succeeds, the bar will be raised with bigger funding goals aimed at fundamental campaign reform in 2016.

In Princeton, the council’s resolution calls upon the 12th Congressional District representative and the 16th District state legislators to support and introduce anti-corruption legislation to the U.S. House of Representatives and in the Statehouse, respectively. We, as local citizens and team leaders of Represent.Us, who initially requested the Princeton Council take this action, take the call seriously. As a first step, with the midterm elections in November for Rep. Rush Holt’s open seat, we will ask all candidates to declare their position and the steps they would take, if elected, to implement the provisions of the council’s resolution.

Our plan is to invite all seven candidates in the 12th Congressional District, from the two major parties as well as third-party and independent candidates, to address this issue along with voters’ other concerns at a public meeting Oct. 30. Our venue is the Princeton Public Library. The evening will begin with a showing of the documentary film, “Priceless.” This film will provide a starting point and a focus for the voter education program. Following that, in addition to addressing the Princeton resolution, the candidates will answer questions on any topic from the audience. All citizens, but especially those who vote in the 12th Congressional District, are invited to attend this important meeting.

Super PACs, such as Americans for Prosperity and secretive 501(c)(4) social welfare groups, are spending huge amounts of money to win elections that benefit their donors more and the general welfare of citizens less. With words, deeds and dollars, ordinary citizens are now saying in growing numbers that we will not give up our representative democracy to the wealthy and the powerful – that real campaign finance reform, anti-corruption laws and a constitutional amendment are all possible remedies for this imbalance.

This summer began with discontent over past government shutdowns and deep partisan divisions, but effective action breeds hope and stirs possibilities for change. There will be dark clouds again in Congress, but strong efforts like the MayDay PAC, buttressed by local initiatives, are rays of sunshine.

David Goodman, Ph.D., is a team leader for the New Jersey Congressional District 12 committee of Represent.Us. More information is online at anticorruptionact.org.

Follow The Times of Trenton on Twitter @TimesofTrenton. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.