State Campaign Foundation Undergoes Mild Renovation Committee, With Andrus, Says System Is By And Large All Right

A high-level committee considering possible changes in Idaho’s campaign finance and ethics laws agreed to recommend a few changes to the Legislature but said other proposals were unnecessary or unworkable.

“They’re going to run and hide from most of these, anyway,” former Democratic Gov. Cecil Andrus told his fellow committee members Thursday.

Still, the panel agreed to call for establishing a permanent oversight committee to look into more fundamental changes in the way political races are paid for and how the actions of politicians and lobbyists are regulated.

Despite few indications of any serious problems with Idaho’s campaign and ethics laws, retired 2nd District Judge John Bengtson said it was important to show “we recognize the citizens’ concerns and that what we’ve done here is just what we had time to do.”

Proposed changes endorsed by the four committee members at Thursday’s meeting included increasing penalties for failing to disclose conflicts of interest and requiring legislative candidates to raise a certain portion of their campaign money within the district where they run.

But Andrus and Bengtson joined former Attorney General Jim Jones and retired Idaho Chief Justice Charles McDevitt in tabling a proposal calling for a cutoff of campaign contributions seven days before an election and requiring an additional contribution report five days before an election.

They also agreed to drop the idea of recommending mandatory random audits of candidates’ campaign finances.

Only Jones disagreed with another decision against increasing the amount of “trivial benefits” legislators may accept from $50 to $100. Andrus said the lower existing limit should not be changed.

“What’s wrong with 50 bucks?” he asked.

“A ham, a turkey, a box of cookies - 50 bucks would cover the whole nine yards.”

Proposals the committee did agree to recommend included:

Eliminating a provision in existing law that allows elected officials to use “independent counsel” when seeking legal advice on whether they have a conflict of interest.

The change would limit their avenues for such advice to the attorney general or a state agency attorney.

Increasing penalties for public officials failing to disclose conflicts of interest from $500 to $2,500.

Requiring legislative candidates to raise at least 20 percent of their campaign money within the district where they run for office.

Reducing the maximum individual, corporate or political committee contribution for each primary or general election from $1,000 to $500 for legislative candidates and from $5,000 to $2,500 for statewide office candidates.