TRENTON – The Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) this morning reaffirmed its commitment to greater transparency in the disclosure of information pertaining to political action committees (PACs).
Assemblyman Joe Cryan’s (D-20) A2992 requires those managing political committees to provide detailed information regarding their affiliations to other committees.
Cryan wrote the bill as a result of a recommendation made by ELEC, which learned this year of a web of PACs coordinated in shadowy fashion by Middlesex Democrats.
Specifically, the bill additionally:
1) changes the number of persons required to form a political committee or continuing political committee from two or more to nine or more, effectively prohibiting fewer persons from forming such committees;
2) requires each committee to provide the name or identifying title of any other political committee or continuing political committee with which the committee is affiliated or with which it coordinates its activities;
3) requires every individual having participated in the organization of the committee or having control over the affairs of the committee to provide the complete name or identifying title of any other political committee or continuing political committee in which the individual was involved and any other such committee with which the individual is affiliated;
4) requires each officer and individual involved in the initial organization of the committee and who has control over the affairs of the committee to submit to ELEC a signed statement certifying that the person: a) understands the purpose of the committee; b) has a working knowledge of the current statutory law as it pertains to such committees; c) understands and pledges to conduct the responsibilities of his or her position on the committee; and d) will provide to the commission information on the person’s affiliation, if any, with other committees or individuals;
5) requires any individual serving as the chair, vice chair, treasurer or organizational treasurer of a political committee or a continuing political committee already in operation, or serving in another position of control over such a committee or who was involved in the initial organization of such a committee, must file the signed statement noted above within 60 days after the bill becomes law; and
6) requires each officer and individual involved in the initial organization of the committee and who has control over the affairs of the committee to file a report with ELEC if the person: a) is employed by or a member of another political committee, continuing political committee, or political party committee; b) is employed by or serves as a voluntary assistant to any person holding elective public office in this state; or c) was involved in the initial organization of, is employed by or otherwise affiliated with, a 527 organization or an organization organized under section 501(c) (4), (5) or (6) of the federal Internal Revenue Code.
