Contributions cap removed in Senate

Dan Kane, Staff Writer A Senate committee approved legislation Monday that would require elected officials and candidates to disclose contributions and spending in legal expense funds, but not before stripping out language that limited contributions to no more than $4,000 and barred businesses and unions from giving.

The legislation represents more fallout from the investigation into former House Speaker Jim Black’s legislative and campaign affairs. Black had set up a legal defense fund, and state law lacked any requirement that he disclose who gave and how the money was spent.

Public interest groups feared the fund could be used by special interests to curry favor with Black, a Mecklenburg County Democrat convicted of public corruption.

The legislation has already passed the House. A floor amendment there added the contribution limits, so that the funds would be similar to campaign finance accounts. The State Board of Elections would regulate the funds.

But Republicans and Democrats on the Senate Select Committee on Government and Election Reform said the contribution limits did not make sense when one of the purposes of the funds is to help someone pay for the best defense possible in a criminal investigation or civil action. (more…)