Senate Ethics Committee debates capping campaign contributions
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Senate Ethics Committee debates capping campaign contributions

Date: February 10, 2015
By: Krista Gmelich
State Capitol Bureau

Intro: 
Two senators are sponsoring bills to cap campaign contributions.
RunTime:  0:35
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: The Senate Ethics Committee heard the bills and debated limiting campaign contributions.

Sen. Bob Dixon says he has concerns that limitations will interfere with transparency.

Actuality:  DIXONK5.WAV
Run Time:  00:15
Description: If we limit it and we come up with an artificial system of goodness - if you want to call it that - then what we wind up with is nobody knows whose really taking that million dollar contribution. It's still there.

Sen. David Pearce is sponsoring one of the bills.

He says unlimited campaign contributions taint the political process. 

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Krista Gmelich.

 

Intro: 
After a Missouri financier gave more than a million dollars to one Republican candidate,the Senate Ethics Committee discussed limiting campaign contributions.
RunTime:  0:35
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Missouri Senators David Pearce and Paul LeVota are sponsoring bills to cap contributions.

LeVota says large contributions reduce political participation.   

Actuality:  LEVOTA1.WAV
Run Time:  00:13
Description: It diminishes the political involvement of everyone else, and that's what we've seen happen. Where candidates come, they have a ton of money either from a single source or just a few sources, and then no one runs against them.

Both bills limit contributions from individuals and committees.

But Sen. Gina Walsh says she is still concerned about wealthy candidates self-funding their own campaigns.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Krista Gmelich.