Proposal For Financing Supreme Court Candidates

• {Frankfort, Kentucky}...State Representative Jim Wayne, D-Louisville, is pushing a proposal that would create a public financing system for candidates in Supreme Court races. Wayne says the legislation is needed in the wake of a 2010 U.S. Supreme Court decision, known as the Citizens United case, that paved the way for corporations, unions and wealthy individuals to contribute as much as they want to independent political groups to support candidates and causes. Wayne says, "We think that our system is vulnerable to this type of purchase of Supreme Court justices." Proponents of public finances for justices contend that unscrupulous donors could have a broader impact on the Supreme Court with seven seats than on the state Legislature with 138 seats. They insist justices should be shielded from that influence. Wayne said getting a floor vote in the House on his bill would be considered a victory, even if that vote fails.