NEW JERSEY (KYW Newsradio) — New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has signed into law the Election Transparency Act, which some observers feel is an ironic title.
The law, which came just days after all three of the Election Law Enforcement Commission’s commissioners resigned, requires disclosure of dark money sources and allows for increases in campaign donations. But it also eliminates 80% of the current investigations into campaign finance violations.
Micah Rasmussen, from Rider University’s Rebovich Institute, feels the main problem with the law is the elimination of financial violations, as the statute of limitations is now just two years.
“That’s just bad government. That’s a bad deal,” Rasmussen said.
He says the new law would not let all of the politicians in New Jersey who may have committed campaign violations off the hook. It also would not allow for the charges that were just filed against former President Donald Trump.
“So how ironic is it that the party that is cheering accountability for Donald Trump in New York, at the same time, has put a law on our books that would prevent accountability if those same violations had occurred in New Jersey.”
Rasmussen also noted how little attention lawmakers have drawn to the new law.
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Typically, when a bill is signed into law, assembly or senate sponsors will send out a press release with all the details and quotes about how happy they are. Sometimes there’s a big bill-signing ceremony with fancy pens. But not this time.
“And it means that they’re not proud of the bill. They’re not proud of the law. They just want to get it on the books and move on.”
Murphy has 90 days to appoint new members to the Election Law Enforcement Commission. No confirmation is required.