Senate Minority Leader Anthony Bucco would support a reinstatement of 48-hour notifications of campaign expenditures and contributions, and expanded identification of the specific individuals behind independent expenditure groups if Republicans take control of the upper house in next week’s midterm elections.
“It’s the only way to guarantee election integrity,” Bucco told the New Jersey Globe.
The 48-hour notices were eliminated when the legislature approved the Election Transparency Act earlier this year. As a result, it’s possible that some campaign donors and expenditures won’t become public until more than three weeks after Election Day.
The support of a tenebrous dark money group, Jersey Freedom, of phantom candidates in South Jersey legislative races Ied Bucco and other Republicans to announce a lawsuit today seeking to freeze their funds.
“Any loophole in this legislation needs to be amended, and we need to close them,” Bucco said. “I can assure you that when Republicans take the majority, we will amend these election laws to prevent to prevent this type of disturbing activity from taking place in the future.”
Senate President Nicholas Scutari shepherded the new law, which raised contribution limits, narrowed the statute of limitations on fining violators, and ended the 48-hour notification requirements, through the legislature.
At the time, Bucco said the bill, signed by Gov. Phil Murphy, neutered transparency in state elections.
“I can guarantee you that we’ll take that action when we go back into session, or we’ll try to anyway,” Bucco said.
