Cardin will accept corporate money for now
Del. Jon Cardin, a proponent of campaign finance reform, said he will continue to accept corporate donations leading up to the 2010 election even as he presses for approval of a bill that creates a publicly financed campaign option that would prohibit such contributions.
Cardin was one of two legislators who participated in the telephone news conference Wednesday morning touting the release of a poll that he said shows public support for campaign finance reform. Both Cardin and Sen. Jamie Raskin were asked during that news conference if they would promise not to accept campaign contributions from corporations beginning now. (You can read the full poll results here.)
Raskin, who represents Montgomery County, said he has never accepted money from corporations. He later added that companies “aren’t interested in donating to me.”
Cardin acknowledged taking corporate donations in the past.
“I can’t tell you whether I have or have not since this cycle began,” Cardin said, adding “from here forward I will commit to not taking (corporate) campaign contributions.”
But when asked a few minutes later to clarify his comments, Cardin said he thought the question was about accepting corporate donations after the 2010 elections.
Cardin said that although he believes the issue is important, he was not going to commit to not accepting corporate donations for the 2010 election.
He compared it to the passage of the bill banning writing text messages while driving.
“I was one of the worst offenders of the texting law before it was enacted,” Cardin said, adding that he no longer texts while driving since the law went into effect Oct. 1.
Similarly, Cardin said he would not make a commitment to not accept corporate donations “through this cycle, but I am going to strive for this bill in the coming session.”
Cardin said he believes the bill will pass next session and if it doesn’t he will revisit his decision on corporate donations after the 2010 election.
“I will continue to strive to move myself in the right direction,” Cardin said.
Sean Doboson, executive director of Progressive Maryland, told reporters during the same news conference that while the group supports campaign finance reform and Cardin’s bill, it does not look down on candidates who are taking corporate money.
“You can’t ask them to fight with one hand tied behind their back,” Dobson said.
Progressive Maryland and Common Cause Maryland paid for the poll.