PAC Man
PAC-to-PAC transfers has become a popular cause d’etre for politicians across the political spectrum over the past several months. Both Bob Riley and Lucy Baxley have waxed eloquently on banning the controversial practice as a first step in an increased transparency of state government. The legislative Democrats’ “Covenant for the Future” listed banning PAC-to-PAC transfers as a high priority, and legislative Republicans also embraced the issue (with all the other planks in Riley’s Plan 2010). In fact, I’d estimate that it’d be difficult to find an elected official publicly on record opposing limiting PAC-to-PAC transfers.
But this seeming unanimity might not translate into legislation as the bill winds it way through Goat Hill. In the past, the House has passed a PAC-to-PAC ban only to see the bill die in the Senate.
And who, might you ask, has made it his business to kill the PAC-to-PAC ban? Jim Preuitt.
Yes, that Jim Preuitt – the one who appears to be the Riley/Republican choice for Senate Pro Tem. Now perhaps the PAC-to-PAC ban would have met its fate at the hands of a different senator had Preuitt not interfered, but it is a fact that Jim Preuitt as Rules Chair is the senator most responsible for PAC-to-PAC not coming up for a vote.
Has Preuitt turned over a new leaf on the issue now that he’s partnered with Republicans? Will Bob Riley call in his chips with Preuitt and insist a ban gets an up or down vote?
Only time will tell, but at this juncture a Preuitt led State Senate is probably not the first choice of Alabama’s good government groups.
Related Articles:
